Beyond Status: Exploring the Psychological and Physiological Effects of Trait Dominance and Prestige

Capolungo, Nico Dee

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Beyond Status: Exploring the Psychological and Physiological Effects of Trait Dominance and Prestige Public Deposited

Analytics

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Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/00000164r

Abstract

Social status is associated with benefits that include reduced stress and better health. The route by which social status is earned – i.e., the trait-like reliance on dominance versus prestige – may modulate known relationships. These personality traits might be related to stress and health outcomes, but few studies have explored the relationship based on the routes by which they are achieved. Dominant individuals are driven to seek power by being assertive, intimidating, and coercive. Because of the association of trait dominance with these relatively anti-social processes, it is expected that trait dominance is affiliated with more robust indicators of stress responses which include higher basal glucocorticoids, higher heart rate, higher sympathetic activity, and lower parasympathetic activity, all while correlated with reduced mental and physical health. Prestigious individuals try to earn respect and admiration from others through knowledge, a particular skill set, or success in life’s endeavors. On the other hand, due to the association trait prestige individuals have, it is expected they are affiliated with attenuated stress responses which include lower basal glucocorticoids, lower heart rate, lower sympathetic activity, and higher parasympathetic activity, together with better mental and physical health. This research aims to fill the gaps on how one’s status-relevant personality is associated with the autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular system, glucocorticoids, testosterone, and self- reported mental and physical health. The study contained 129 (N=129) college-aged students who were given surveys (Dominance and Prestige Scale (DPS), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Lifestyle and Habits Questionnaire-Brief (LHQB), and a Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)), and had physiology recorded at baseline, stressor, and recovery during a social-evaluated cold pressor task. Relevant biomarkers to stress and health were collected and assayed in saliva, including basal glucocorticoids (cortisol, cortisone, and corticosterone), and testosterone; cardiovascular physiology measured during the stress task included heart rate, high-frequency heart rate variability (an index of parasympathetic functioning), and pre-ejection period (an index of sympathetic functioning). The study found that trait dominance was associated with worse overall health, substance abuse, poor nutritional care, low social integration, positive affect, and high-frequency heart rate variability; trait prestige was associated with better overall health, a higher sense of purpose, high social integration, and positive affect. This study puts forward information on the effects of social status necessary for understanding the link between status, health, and stress.

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