How Does Social Status Relate to Self-Esteem and Emotion? An Integrative Test of Hierometer Theory and Social Rank Theory

• Published in: Journal of experimental psychology. General 2023-03, Vol.152 (3), p.632-656
• Main Authors: Mahadevan, Nikhila, Gregg, Aiden P., Sedikides, Constantine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Cross-Sectional Studies; Emotions; Female; Guilt; Human; Humans; Male; Mental depression; Self Concept; Self esteem; Shame; Social Status; Theories
• ISSN: 0096-3445; 1939-2222
• DOI: 10.1037/xge0001286

Drawing together insights from two theories-hierometer theory and social rank theory-we investigated the links among social status, self-esteem, and emotion. Both theories address how individuals navigate social hierarchies. Both posit adaptive dynamics whereby a social input (status or rank) shapes one or more psychological mechanisms, which then regulate a behavioral output. However, they emphasize different psychological mechanisms. Whereas hierometer theory emphasizes self-regard-in particular, self-esteem-social rank theory emphasizes emotions-in particular, depression, anxiety, and shame. We tested hypotheses derived from these theories, examining the links among status, self-esteem, and these emotions, across six studies (N = 1,719). In Studies 1 and 2 (cross-sectional), status correlated positively with self-esteem, and negatively with depression, anxiety, and shame (but not guilt). Studies 3-6 established the causal pathways between these constructs for the first time. In Studies 3 and 4 (experimental), increasing status induced higher state self-esteem, and lower depression, anxiety, and shame (but not guilt). In Studies 5 and 6 (experimental), increasing self-esteem induced lower depression, anxiety, and shame. Finally, across studies, self-esteem statistically and causally mediated the links between status and depression, status and anxiety, as well as status and shame. Our research advances theoretical and empirical understanding of self-esteem and emotion as functional trackers of one's place in the social hierarchy. It points to self-esteem playing a more primary role as a tracker of status, helping to explicate how and why status is related to these clinically relevant emotions.