Hierarchy Formation and Self-Determination: A Multi-Method Field Study in University Dormitories

SAGE Open

Stefano I. Di Domenico¹ 

关键词: self-determination theory;    autonomy;    social relations model;    social hierarchy;    physical attractiveness;   

DOI  :  10.1177/2158244014561525

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Sage Journals

【 摘 要 】

We examined how self-determination, the subjective experience of one’s behavior as internally initiated and personally endorsed, depends on one’s standing in real-world social hierarchies. We predicted that those with the traits most relevant to status attainment would be those afforded the most opportunities to be self-determining. We examined the trait of physical attractiveness, given its documented association with social status and no known association with self-determination. First-year undergraduates living in same-sex residences rated their housemates’ social status, while an independent set of observers rated the participants’ physical attractiveness. Consistent with prediction, physically attractive individuals attained the highest levels of social status; in turn, those who attained the highest levels of social status experienced the highest levels of self-determination. These findings provide new insights into self-determination as an inherently relational phenomenon and specifically highlight the formative influence of social status on people’s capacities for self-determination.

【 授权许可】

CC BY