Status Seeking Research Articles

Moralization of Rationality Can Stimulate Sharing of Hostile and False News on Social Media, but Intellectual Humility Inhibits it

ABSTRACT Many assume that if citizens were more inclined to moralize the values of evidence-based and logical thinking, they would be less likely to share politically hostile, conspiratorial, and false claims on social media. In contrast, on the basis of theories of status seeking and persuasion, we argue that moralization of rationality may actually stimulate the spread of hostile partisan news online, including fabricated claims. Across three large surveys (N = 4800) run on U.S. respondents (one exploratory and two pre-registered), we provide empirical evidence for this prediction and demonstrate that the moralization of rationality can be a form of moral grandstanding by status seekers inclined to spread hostile (mis)information to reach partisan goals. In contrast to such grandstanding with respect to rationality, our studies find robust evidence that intellectual humility – that is, the awareness that intuitions are fallible and that trusting others is often desirable – may protect people from both sharing and believing hostile and false political news online.

What drives higher active customer engagement in luxury brands’ social media? Measurement and contingencies

This study investigates customer engagement behaviors related to luxury brands on social media, focusing on the motives driving active and passive engagement. Applying a sequential mixed methods approach, drawing on netnographic and survey data analyses, the study identifies 10 emergent themes across intrinsic and extrinsic motives that shape overall motivation for social media engagement with luxury brands. Findings from the netnographic analysis provide empirical insights into customer motivations, which inform the development of hypotheses tested through quantitative analysis. The results highlight the roles of intrinsic motivations, such as entertainment, authenticity, gratitude, experience sharing, nostalgia, aesthetics, and lifestyle inspiration. Further, extrinsic motivations such as social support, utilitarian rewards, and social status seeking are revealed to influence customers' attitudes and behaviors toward luxury brands on social media. The findings regarding the necessary condition and importance-performance matrix analyses provide additional nuanced insights into the necessity and importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for active and passive engagement on social media by customers. The study also clarifies the moderating effects of customers’ value for money orientation and brand identification on the relationship between overall motivation and engagement behaviors. The findings provide a granular understanding of luxury customer behavior on social media, offering valuable insights for luxury brand managers aiming to foster stronger customer–brand relationships.

Europeans Seek Exciting Experiences More Than Status: Exploring the Development of Two Fundamental Life Orientations

This article relates the lively debate about inequality-induced status concerns in affluent societies to the broader theoretical perspective on changing existential dispositions in modern society, which we reconstruct from the sociological theories of David Riesman, Gerhard Schulze and Ronald Inglehart. We conceptualise experience seeking – aspiring to an enjoyable life – alongside status seeking – aspiring to a successful life – as a presumably increasing life orientation. Using extensive data from the European Social Survey, for 27 countries and over 350,000 respondents over the period 2002–2018, we examine the extent and relationship of these orientations over time, their associations with socio-economic development and income inequality, as well as their social stratification according to individual-level characteristics. The results show that the populations of wealthy and economically more equal societies increasingly prefer an exciting life to a successful one. Within societies, men, younger people and the highly educated value both experiences and status.

Visible Consumption, Income Inequality and Social Comparisons. Evidence from Four Latin American Countries

Increased conspicuous consumption motivated by status-seeking behavior can undermine the gains in well-being derived from economic growth. Using expenditure surveys from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay, we assess visible consumption motivated by status seeking behaviour, analyzing different hypotheses about the role of externalities driven by social comparisons and income inequality. Specifically, we provide evidence for the relevance of different reference groups, assessing comparisons with richer (Veblen effects), poorer and similar profile groups (Duesenberry effects). We show that individuals are affected by multiple reference groups. Regarding between-group inequality, we find that individuals mainly seek to differentiate themselves from poorer groups, rather than imitating richer ones. In all cases, average reference group income of similar profile individuals is negatively related to visible consumption. Meanwhile, within-reference group responses are relevant in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico: increased visible goods consumption is associated with larger relative income gaps. In Argentina and Brazil, the sensitivity of visible goods expenditures to income is higher among households located above the reference threshold, which is consistent, again, with more affluent households trying to signal status by differentiating themselves from the most deprived group members. Meanwhile, in the case of Mexico, there is a symmetric response.

No evidence for relationship between paternal post-partum depressive symptoms and testosterone or cortisol in first-time fathers.

Male life history strategies are regulated by the neuroendocrine system. Testosterone (T) and cortisol regulate male behaviors including parenting and facilitate managing tradeoffs at key transitions in development such as first-time fatherhood. Both hormones demonstrate marked fluctuations in the postnatal period, and this presents an opportunity to investigate the role of T and cortisol in postpartum depressive symptoms-comparably less studied in fathers than in mothers in the evolutionary literature. Prior work on depressive symptoms has yet to integrate insights from the "dual hormone hypothesis (DHH)" which has focused on how T and cortisol interact to jointly regulate traits associated with dominance and status-seeking (i.e., mating effort) but has yet to be included in models of parenting effort. In this research, we use secondary data to investigate the relationship between DHH and traits ostensibly opposed to status seeking (i.e., depressive symptoms). First-time fathers (n = 193) provided morning saliva samples 10 months following parturition and reported on the presence of depressive symptoms (BDI-II). Responses were decomposed into three factors: cognitive, affective, and somatic. Using hybrid latent variable structural equation modeling, we did not find evidence that T predicted variability in cognitive, affective, or somatic depressive symptom factors. We found a null effect for cortisol as well. Finally, we could not find evidence that the DHH variable (T × cortisol interaction) predicted any variability in cognitive, affective, or somatic depressive symptoms. While we did not find evidence to support our hypotheses using a secondary data set, this study contributes to research on the neuroendocrinology of depression in fathers. Discussion focuses on the limitations of sample demographics, timing of saliva and self-report collection, and the lack of extant theory specific to paternal postpartum depression.

Dispositional and Social Correlates of Digital Status Seeking Among Adolescents.

Social media have transformed peer relationships among adolescents, providing new avenues to attain online status indicators such as likes and followers. This study aimed to explore the associations between various dispositional and social factors and digital status-seeking behaviors among a sample of adolescents (N = 731; Mage = 14.69, 48.7 percent female), as well as explore potential gender differences in the examined associations. Sociometric nominations for digital status-seeking, likeability, and popularity were collected, and participants self-reported their social media use frequency, awareness of social media positivity bias, reward sensitivity, and gender. The findings revealed a positive relationship between sociometric popularity and digital status-seeking, whereas likeability displayed a negative association with digital status-seeking. These results emphasize the importance of distinguishing between different social status indicators in understanding online behaviors. Reward sensitivity did not show a significant link to digital status-seeking, and awareness of social media positivity bias heightened the likelihood of being nominated as a digital status-seeker. These findings underscore the need for further research, especially focusing on girls who appear to be more vulnerable to engaging in digital status-seeking behaviors.

The logic of distinction: nationalism and status seeking in Germany

The logic of distinction: nationalism and status seeking in Germany

Extreme metal guitar skill: A case of male–male status seeking, mate attraction, or byproduct?

Extreme metal guitar skill: A case of male–male status seeking, mate attraction, or byproduct?

The role of @literarybase X account in fulfilling information literation needs

Background of the study: X is a social media used mainly by the public as a source of information and can fulfill its users' information needs, including the @literarybase account, which discusses literature and books. Through this, it is expected to increase information literacy skills through information search activities to meet the information needs of its users. Purpose: This study aims to determine the role of auto-base @literarybase in meeting the information literacy needs of its followers. Method: The method used is quantitative with survey techniques. Data was collected online through the distribution of Google form questionnaires to followers of the @literarybase account with a Likert scale as a measurement, and analysis was carried out descriptively. Findings: The @literarybase account has played a role in meeting the information needs and training the information literacy skills of its followers. In content gratification, the @literarybase account fulfills the needs of information sharing and information seeking. In the gratification process, the @literarybase account fulfills entertainment, pass time, escape, habit, and self-expression needs. In social gratification, the @literarybase account fulfills the information needs through social interaction. Finally, regarding technology gratification, the @literarybase account fulfills information needs in the form of relative advantage. Conclusion: The @literarybase account has played a role in meeting information needs and training information literacy skills for its account followers. However, several aspects still need to be fully met, such as the need for self-document in content gratification, the need for campaigns in process gratification, the need for status seeking in social gratification, and the need for social compliance in technology gratification.

High and low levels of adolescent peer status are associated longitudinally with socioevaluative concern.

This study examined linear and curvilinear longitudinal associations between peer status (i.e., likeability and popularity) and socioevaluative concern, a socio-cognitive feature characterized by attunement to judgment from peers. A sample of 716 adolescents (Mage = 16.01, SD = 1.25; 54% female; 46.5% White; 69.5% reduced-price lunch) was assessed twice annually. Likeability and popularity were assessed with peer nominations at Time 1. Measures of general (rejection sensitivity, peer importance) and online (digital status seeking, online status importance) socioevaluative concern were obtained at Times 1 and 2. High and low levels of likeability were longitudinally associated with increased peer importance, while high and low levels of popularity were associated with increased digital status seeking, and decreased online status importance for girls.

Materialiserad moral

Ethical consumption, that is, to make certain consumption choices due to personal moral beliefs and values is a growing trend and market. In this article we analyze three ethical smartphone apps developed and marketed in order to help consumers to make ethical product choices: for example, where to find the nearest café selling Fair Trade coffee, whether the salmon in the store is red-listed or if there are any cleaning products that are certified as environmentally friendly. In this text we argue that such digital consumer technologies have some potential to influence consumer actions. The article critically discusses whether and how technologies may shape ethical consumer culture. We conceptualize the smartphone apps and their suggested consumer actions in the form of four "consumer models”: the selecting consumer; the status seeking consumer; the information seeking consumer; and the social and productive consumer. The purpose of this article is to analyze the ways that smartphone applications shape ethical consumption in the sense of suggesting particular representations of who an ethical consumer is and how ethical consumption is accomplished. The normative assumptions of these consumer models are discussed. Our analysis build on interviews with app developers, marketing texts, and “object ethnography”, i.e. closed up readings and examinations of smartphone apps as intentional consumer objects equipped with scripts for consumer.

Social Media and Morality.

Nearly five billion people around the world now use social media, and this number continues to grow. One of the primary goals of social media platforms is to capture and monetize human attention. One means by which individuals and groups can capture attention and drive engagement on these platforms is by sharing morally and emotionally evocative content. We review a growing body of research on the interrelationship of social media and morality as well its consequences for individuals and society. Moral content often goes viral on social media, and social media makes moral behavior (such as punishment) less costly. Thus, social media often acts as an accelerant for existing moral dynamics, amplifying outrage, status seeking, and intergroup conflict while also potentially amplifying more constructive facets of morality, such as social support, prosociality, and collective action. We discuss trends, heated debates, and future directions in this emerging literature.

Growth impact of status seeking behavior: A counter example

AbstractThis paper analyzes the impact of status seeking behavior on the growth of income. Conventional wisdom suggests that such behavior should stimulate the growth rate. We introduce a general status indicator as an average of relative income and another that reflects relative expenditure on a status good in a simple dynamic model. We show that the conventional approach, which includes only concern for relative income, matters for growth. Otherwise, higher relative expenditure on a status good does not have any additional impact on optimal growth beyond the golden rule. Thus, the accepted wisdom that relative status concern always stimulates incentive for growth is called into question and provides fresh policy perspective.

Should I share it? Factors influencing fake news-sharing behaviour: A behavioural reasoning theory perspective

Social media has become an integral part of our lives because of its popularity among users. However, the dissemination of fake information has been a significant issue for marketers, as it severely damages brand image. This study examined variables related to intentions (for and against) to share fake news online using behavioral reasoning theory (BRT). We also examined the impact of perceived believability as a mediator and how the mediating effects of perceived believability are moderated by social-status seeking and cognitive fluency. Data were collected from 356 respondents using online questionnaires. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling and PROCESS Macro. The results suggest that the joy of missing out (JOMO) and government regulations negatively impact fake news-sharing intention. Source credibility and information quality positively impact fake news-sharing intention. Perceived believability mediates the association between antecedents and fake news-sharing intention. Mediated-moderation analysis show that social status seeking and cognitive fluency also significantly impact fake news-sharing intention. This study enriches the fake news and social media literature, and has managerial implications for marketers.

Environmental regulation with preferences for social status

Continuously increasing consumption of material goods drives current resource and environmental crises, including climate change and loss of biodiversity. Although technology offers solutions, their development and adoption is not at the speed required to address these crises. Therefore, demand side responses have to be triggered using policies, with economists suggesting mainly the use of price signals. However, both the effectiveness and the political acceptability of taxation have been questioned, especially since increases in fuel prices during the last decade in both Europe and North America have not yielded the expected reductions in the fuel economy and after the vigorous opposition to the ambitious increases in fuel taxes, for example in France. The present paper offers an explanation for the reduced effectiveness of environmental taxation by focusing on relatively high-income individuals whose consumption of highly polluting material goods is driven by motivations to improve their social status. Furthermore, the paper shows that complementing the tax with information provision aiming at moderating status seeking overconsumption improves social welfare. Decoupling consumption of highly polluting material goods from social status in individuals’ well-being, through informative advertisement campaigns, could have a substantial environmental effect directly and also indirectly by improving the effectiveness of taxation.

Understanding of consumers’ inconspicuous luxury consumption practices in Vietnam: an exploratory study from an ethical perspective

PurposeThis study aims to explore how inconspicuous luxury consumption is being practiced in an Asian culture like Vietnam. Moreover, the ethical motivations that drive Vietnamese luxury consumers to engage in consuming inconspicuous luxury fashion products are also investigated.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was used to serve the purpose of this study. Specifically, the authors conducted two rounds of in-depth interviews with 42 Vietnamese luxury consumers recruited using the snowball sampling technique.FindingsThe findings from the interviews indicate that inconspicuous luxury consumption is on the rise in Vietnam. This study also reveals that inconspicuous luxury consumers in Vietnam share some common characteristics with their counterparts in Western and other Asian countries. Significantly, based on Hunt–Vitell model, the findings suggest that ethical considerations play a crucial role in motivating Vietnamese consumers to engage in inconspicuous luxury consumption. Together with typical motivations such as differentiation seeking, aesthetics seeking and status seeking, consumers buy inconspicuous luxury products to adhere to internalized norms and moral principles.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the extant literature by enriching knowledge pertaining to practices of inconspicuous luxury consumption, especially in the context of an emerging Asian country. Notably, an essential contribution of this study is to identify ethical considerations as a new emerging motivation driving inconspicuous luxury consumption. The link between ethical issues and inconspicuous luxury consumption has been largely unexamined in the literature. In this study, the Hunt–Vitell model’s process of ethical reasoning is used in a new context of inconspicuous luxury consumption in an emerging Asian economy.

Status Seeking through Peacekeeping: Ukraine's Quest for a Positive Social Identity in the International System

AbstractWhen do states pursue status enhancement through peacekeeping and how do they go about it? This article argues that states’ contributions to peace operations can be related to attempts at acquiring a positive identity in the international arena through membership in highly ranked groups. Drawing on insights from social identity theory and peacekeeping and burden-sharing research, the article elaborates on how states choose an identity management strategy that involves peacekeeping practices, the factors influencing states’ ability to pursue status through peacekeeping, and the conditions for succeeding in acquiring the desired social identity. Ukraine's significant peacekeeping engagement in the first two decades following independence represents an intriguing case of an emerging state positioning itself in the international and regional systems, which makes it a relevant case study to explore. Therefore, the article discusses how two of Ukraine's formative peacekeeping experiences have fostered, or alternatively undermined, the pursuit of a positive social identity, first as a sovereign state and member of the broader international community and second as an aspiring member of the Western community of states.

When fertile, women seek status via prestige but not dominance

Biological predictors of human dominance are hotly contested, with far-reaching implications for psychological sex differences and the placement of men and women in the social hierarchy. Most investigations have focused on dominance in men and testosterone, with diminished attention paid to dominance in women and other biological mechanisms. Investigating biological influences on other routes to status attainment popular among women-such as via prestige in addition to dominance-have also been neglected. Here, I examined whether status seeking via prestige and via dominance covaried with fertility probability in a citizen science project spanning 14 countries and 4 world regions. Across 4,179 observations, participants tracked their menstrual cycle characteristics, motivation for prestige and dominance, dominance contest outcomes, and three domains of self-esteem. Self-esteem is predicted by status within a group and helps individuals navigate social hierarchies. Bayesian mixed models controlling for menstruation indicated that the motivation to obtain status via prestige but not dominance peaked when conception was most likely, as did dominance contest losses and two self-esteem domains. Fertility appears to reorient female psychology toward prestige-based strategies to success, enhancing women's desire for social capital through influence and admiration but not through fear, coercion, or intimidation. These insights fundamentally advance the understanding of the biological correlates of status seeking among women. They further suggest that fertility motivates not only mating competition but gaining rank and positive regard in social hierarchies.

Analisis Penggunaan Media Sosial untuk Pencarian Informasi dan Media Komunikasi Menggunakan Model Uses and Gratification

The use of social media continues to increase for various purposes, such as information seeking and communication media. This is because social media makes it easier for users to interact, communicate without thinking about distance, and seek information. This study aims to measure and analyze the use of social media as a search for infor mation and communication media for its users. This study uses the Uses and Gratification model and analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling method. From the results of collecting and processing data from 263 respondents, it was found that there were 6 accepted hypotheses, namely Hypothesis 1, information seeking influences communication media because this is indicated by the T-Statistics value of 2.724. Hypothesis 2 is accepted with the results of T-Statistics 4.457, this shows that socializing affects communication media. Then, Hypothesis 4 is accepted with a T-Statistics value of 3.197, namely status seeking positively influences the use of social media. Hypothesis 5 is accepted with the conclusion that socializing positively affects the use of social media. Hypothesis 5 is accepted, so it can be said that entertainment affects the use of social media. However, one hypothesis is rejected, namely Hypothesis 3 so that information seeking does not affect the use of social media

Review: Rubens in Repeat: The Logic of the Copy in Colonial Latin America, by Aaron M. Hyman; Clothing the New World Church: Liturgical Textiles of Spanish America, 1520–1820, by Maya Stanfield-Mazzi

Review: <i>Rubens in Repeat: The Logic of the Copy in Colonial Latin America</i>, by Aaron M. Hyman; <i>Clothing the New World Church: Liturgical Textiles of Spanish America, 1520–1820</i>, by Maya Stanfield-Mazzi