The
Local-Ladder Effect: Social Status and Subjective Well-Being.
Anderson C,
Kraus MW, Galinsky AD, Keltner D.
1Haas
School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.
Abstract
Dozens of
studies in different nations have revealed that socioeconomic status only
weakly predicts an individual's subjective well-being (SWB). These results
imply that although the pursuit of social status is a fundamental human
motivation, achieving high status has little impact on one's SWB. However, we
propose that sociometric status-the respect and admiration one has in
face-to-face groups (e.g., among friends or coworkers)-has a stronger effect on
SWB than does socioeconomic status. Using correlational, experimental, and
longitudinal methodologies, four studies found consistent evidence for a
local-ladder effect: Sociometric status significantly predicted satisfaction
with life and the experience of positive and negative emotions. Longitudinally,
as sociometric status rose or fell, SWB rose or fell accordingly. Furthermore,
these effects were driven by feelings of power and social acceptance. Overall,
individuals' sociometric status matters more to their SWB than does their
socioeconomic status.
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