Social Psychology, Status and Prestige
In 2011, 480 business management undergrads at Notre Dame participated in a study in which they were to play the role of HR managers. They were assigned randomly to examine either eight male or eight female entry-level candidate descriptions and determine which of the...
Advertising and Marketing, Cialdini - Weapons of Influence, Johnstone - Status Transactions, Social Psychology, Status and Prestige
I’m always excited when science finally catches up with marketing. A man walks into a sociologist’s office, and is asked to write a short essay highlighting his healthy life habits. He does so. Afterwards, he’s offered a choice of two small rewards...
Advertising and Marketing, Acting and Performance, Johnstone - Status Transactions, Status and Prestige
We Are All Just Squabbling Ducks Previously, I have remarked on an area of interpersonal dynamics called the Status Transaction. This concept comes from one of the fathers of improv theatre. It says that humans, just like other pack animals, communicate in subtle...
Advertising and Marketing, Acting and Performance, Cialdini - Weapons of Influence, Status and Prestige
Why Is it that you always seem to be wanting what you can’t have? I was walking a friend of mine home the other day, and she was telling me about the kinds of men she had been meeting recently. We started talking about it always seems you’re wanting what...
Johnstone - Status Transactions, Status and Prestige
We instinctively know that our society affords the benefit of the doubt to the best looking among us. Newsweek just ran an article to help us quantify exactly how much. In her recent article, “The Beauty Advantage,” columnist Jessica Bennett cites the...
Johnstone - Status Transactions, Status and Prestige
Sizing Up the Nightlife – A study of status distinction. The article linked above highlights a study by a sociologist at the Kellogg school of business, Dr. Lauren Rivera. It’s a fascinating summary detailing the incredibly intricate status distinctions at...
