Social dominance orientation and the political psychology of gender: A case of invariance?

Social dominance theory assumes transsituational and transcultural differences between men and women in social dominance orientation (SDO), with men showing higher levels of SDO than women. SDO is a general individual-difference variable expressing preference for superordinate in-group status, hierarchical relationships between social groups, and a view of group relations as inherently 0-sum. Data from a random sample of 1,897 respondents from Los Angeles County confirmed the notion that men have significantly higher social dominance scores than women and that these differences were consistent across cultural, demographic, and situational factors such as age, social class, religion, educational level, political ideology, ethnicity, racism, region of national origin, and gender-role relevant opinion. The theoretical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Managing discrimination in selection: The influence of directives from an authority and social dominance orientation.

The authors examined one manner in which to decrease the negative impact of social dominance orientation (SDO), an individual difference variable that indicates support for the "domination of 'inferior' groups by 'superior' groups" (J. Sidanius & F. Pratto, 1999, p. 48), on the selection of candidates from low-status groups within society. Consistent with the tenets of social dominance theory, in 2 studies we found that those high in SDO reported that they were less likely to select a potential team member who is a member of a low-status group (i.e., a White female in Study 1 and a Black male in Study 2) than those low in SDO. However, explicit directives from an authority moderated this effect such that those high in SDO were more likely to select both candidates when authority figures clearly communicated that job performance indicators should be used when choosing team members. Thus, our studies suggest that the negative effects of SDO may be attenuated if those high in SDO are instructed by superiors to use legitimate performance criteria to evaluate job candidates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social dominance orientation: A personality variable predicting social and political attitudes.

Social dominance orientation (SDO), one's degree of preference for inequality among social groups, is introduced. On the basis of social dominance theory, it is shown that (1) men are more social dominance-oriented than women, (2) high-SDO people seek hierarchy-enhancing professional roles and low-SDO people seek hierarchy-attenuating roles, (3) SDO was related to beliefs in a large number of social and political ideologies that support group-based hierarchy (e.g., meritocracy and racism) and to support for policies that have implications for intergroup relations (e.g., war, civil rights, and social programs), including new policies. SDO was distinguished from interpersonal dominance, conservatism, and authoritarianism. SDO was negatively correlated with empathy, tolerance, communality, and altruism. The ramifications of SDO in social context are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and prejudice.

Right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation have been proposed as 2 major individual difference variables underlying prejudice. This study examined the relationships of these variables to 3 forms of prejudice—affective responses, stereotyping, and attitudes toward equality enhancement—directed at 2 social groups—African Americans and homosexuals. Canonical correlation analyses showed that social dominance orientation was related to most forms of prejudice directed toward both groups and that right-wing authoritarianism was related to affective responses to and stereotyping of homosexuals. In addition, it was found that, as predicted by the social dominance model, stereotyping mediated the relationships between social dominance orientation and other forms of prejudice and that social dominance orientation mediated gender differences in expressions of prejudice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intergroup consensus/disagreement in support of group-based hierarchy: An examination of socio-structural and psycho-cultural factors.

A meta-analysis examined the extent to which socio-structural and psycho-cultural characteristics of societies correspond with how much gender and ethnic/racial groups differ on their support of group-based hierarchy. Robustly, women opposed group-based hierarchy more than men did, and members of lower power ethnic/racial groups opposed group-based hierarchy more than members of higher power ethnic/racial groups did. As predicted by social dominance theory, gender differences were larger, more stable, and less variable from sample to sample than differences between ethnic/racial groups. Subordinate gender and ethnic/racial group members disagreed more with dominants in their views of group-based hierarchy in societies that can be considered more liberal and modern (e.g., emphasizing individualism and change from traditions), as well as in societies that enjoyed greater gender equality. The relations between gender and ethnic/racial groups are discussed, and implications are developed for social dominance theory, social role theory, biosocial theory, social identity theory, system justification theory, realistic group conflict theory, and relative deprivation theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Free at last? Social dominance, loss aversion, and white and black Americans' differing assessments of racial progress.

White Americans tend to believe that there has been greater progress toward racial equality than do Black Americans. The authors explain this difference by combining insights from prospect theory and social dominance theory. According to prospect theory, changes seem greater when framed as losses rather than gains. Social dominance theory predicts that White Americans tend to view increases in equality as losses, whereas Black Americans view them as gains. In Studies 1 and 2, the authors experimentally tested whether groups judge the same change differently depending on whether it represents a loss or gain. In Studies 3-6, the authors used experimental methods to test whether White participants who frame equality-promoting changes as losses perceive greater progress toward racial equality. The authors discuss theoretical and political implications for progress toward a just society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The socialization of dominance: Peer group contextual effects on homophobic and dominance attitudes.

Using the framework of social dominance theory, the current investigation tested for the contextual effects of adolescent peer groups on individuals' homophobic and social dominance attitudes. Results from multilevel models indicated that significant differences existed across peer groups on homophobic attitudes. In addition, these differences were accounted for on the basis of the hierarchy-enhancing or -attenuating climate of the group. A group socialization effect on individuals' social dominance attitudes over time was also observed. Furthermore, the social climate of the peer group moderated the stability of individuals' social dominance attitudes. Findings support the need to examine more proximal and informal group affiliations and earlier developmental periods in efforts to build more comprehensive theoretical models explaining when and how prejudiced and dominance attitudes are formed and the way in which they are perpetuated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Deindividuation: Effects of group size, density, number of observers, and group member similarity on self-consciousness and disinhibited behavior.

Predictions about the social causes of self-consciousness in groups were derived from the theory of deindividuation and tested in 3 experiments with 618 university students and adults. In Exp I, it was found that increasing group size was related to a decrease in self-consciousness. Group density did not influence self-consciousness. In Exp II, it was found that increases in the number of observers increased self-consciousness. In Exps I and II, self-reports of self-consciousness were independent of one's group, whereas the degree of behavioral disinhibition was highly correlated within groups. In Exp III, it was found that gender similarity within a group was related to lower self-consciousness. Findings support a perceptual/attentional model of self-consciousness within groups. Contrary to deindividuation theory predictions, however, behavior intensity did not vary across conditions in Exps I and II, even though self-consciousness did differ. This finding suggests that deindividuation theory is incomplete in its present form. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The emergence of social dominance in young boys' play groups: Developmental differences and behavior correlates.

This study examined relations among dominance, sociometric preference, and social behavior in groups of 1st- and 3rd-grade boys. 20 groups of 6 unacquainted boys met for 5 45-min semistructured play sessions on consecutive days. Sociometric interviews yielded daily social preference scores. Boys' social behaviors were coded from video records into discrete categories. Dominance hierarchies were formed on the basis of asymmetry (receiving vs initiating) of peer-directed aggression or persuasion attempts. Group-level results indicated that the least coherently organized groups were those containing younger boys and those in which aggression occurred at a high rate. Individual-level results indicated that dominance was associated with social preference to a greater degree among younger than older boys. Dominance was more highly related to leadership in older than younger boys. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the role of aggression in the social organization of boys' peer groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relational correlates of interpersonal citizenship behavior: A social network perspective.

This study examines the role of social network ties in the performance and receipt of interpersonal citizenship behavior (ICB), one form of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). A field study involving 141 employees of a manufacturing firm provided evidence that social network ties are related to the performance and receipt of ICB. Results support hypothesized relationships, which are based on social exchange theory, suggesting strength of friendship is related to performance and receipt of ICB. Support was also found for impression management-based hypotheses suggesting that asymmetric influence and 3rd-party influence are related to the performance and receipt of ICB. These relationships were significant when controlling for job satisfaction, commitment, procedural justice, hierarchical level, demographic similarity, and job similarity. Implications and directions for future research are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of selective amygdala, orbital frontal cortex, or hippocampal formation lesions on established social relationships in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Social dominance, personality ratings, and frequency, duration, and timing of social behaviors were measured pre- and postsurgically in 6 groups of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), each consisting of 1 sham-operated control and 1 monkey each with a selective amygdala, hippocampal, or orbital frontal cortex lesion. Unlike previous reports, none of the operated groups showed changes in social dominance postsurgery, although changes in other measures varied by lesion site. Although sham-operated monkeys displayed heightened avoidant, anxious, and aggressive behaviors, those with hippocampal lesions also showed increased exploration and excitability, along with reduced responses to affiliative signals. Amygdala lesions yielded several personality changes that precluded positive social interactions (increased exploration and excitability, decreased affiliation and popularity) and altered responses to threatening social signals. By contrast, monkeys with orbital frontal lesions were involved in more aggressive interactions and responded differently to both affiliative and threatening signals. Although several findings differ from earlier nonhuman primate studies, they are largely in agreement with human data and emphasize the context-specific nature of social behavior studies. Interpretation of results in relation to cognitive processes mediated by each structure is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prognostic patterns in self-report, relative report, and professional evaluation measures for hospitalized and day-care patients.

Investigated differences between patients who relapse and those who do not in both hospital and day-care settings. Ss were 142 adult psychiatric patients. Hospital and day-care groups were matched on a variety of demographic, social, and clinical variables. Three groups of measures were used: one based on professional evaluation (e.g., Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Scale), one based on self-report (e.g., Katz Adjustment Scales), and one based on relative report (e.g., MMPI). No differences were found between hospital and day-care centers in proportion of patients relapsed. Of the 3 groups of measures, those based on professional evaluation were least able to distinguish relapsed from nonrelapsed patients. On self-report and relative report measures, the scores of patients who relapsed following day-care treatment resembled those of patients who succeeded following hospital treatment and vice-versa. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction to Hodson, Rush, and MacInnis (2010).

Reports an error in "A joke is just a joke (except when it isn't): Cavalier humor beliefs facilitate the expression of group dominance motives" by Gordon Hodson, Jonathan Rush and Cara C. MacInnis (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2010[Oct], Vol 99[4], 660-682). In the article there was an error in Table 6. The last row of data should have read “Obese”, not “Mexican”. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2010-20570-003.) Past research reveals preferences for disparaging humor directed toward disliked others. The group-dominance model of humor appreciation introduces the hypothesis that beyond initial outgroup attitudes, social dominance motives predict favorable reactions toward jokes targeting low-status outgroups through a subtle hierarchy-enhancing legitimizing myth: cavalier humor beliefs (CHB). CHB characterizes a lighthearted, less serious, uncritical, and nonchalant approach toward humor that dismisses potential harm to others. As expected, CHB incorporates both positive (affiliative) and negative (aggressive) humor functions that together mask biases, correlating positively with prejudices and prejudice-correlates (including social dominance orientation [SDO]; Study 1). Across 3 studies in Canada, SDO and CHB predicted favorable reactions toward jokes disparaging Mexicans (low-status outgroup). Neither individual difference predicted neutral (nonintergroup) joke reactions, despite the jokes being equally amusing and more inoffensive overall. In Study 2, joke content targeting Mexicans, Americans (high-status outgroup), and Canadians (high-status ingroup) was systematically controlled. Although Canadians preferred jokes labeled as anti-American overall, an underlying subtle pattern emerged at the individual-difference level: Only those higher in SDO appreciated those jokes labeled as anti-Mexican (reflecting social dominance motives). In all studies, SDO predicted favorable reactions toward low-status outgroup jokes almost entirely through heightened CHB, a subtle yet potent legitimatizing myth that “justifies” expressions of group dominance motives. In Study 3, a pretest–posttest design revealed the implications of this justification process: CHB contributes to trivializing outgroup jokes as inoffensive (harmless), subsequently contributing to postjoke prejudice. The implications for humor in intergroup contexts are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family interaction in disturbed and normal families: A methodological and substantive review.

Evaluated 57 direct observation studies comparing family interaction in disturbed (schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic) and normal families. Major sections of the review include (a) a critical evaluation of the methodological adequacy of reviewed studies in terms of various design standards and controls; (b) an extensive review of substantive findings relevant to the content domains of dominance, conflict, affect, and communication clarity; and (c) a discussion of difficulties involved in comparison of results because of cross-study differences in diagnostic status of experimental groups, measurement techniques, type of analyses, and demographic factors. It was found that both social class status and age of child were significantly associated with various measures of conflict and dominance, and in many cases, obtained relationships were influenced considerably as a function of a Social Class * Child's Age interaction. (110 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Torque, hemispheric dominance, and psychosocial adjustment.

The relationships between torque (drawing of circles in a clockwise direction), 2 measures of hemispheric dominance, and measures of anxiety and social competency were examined in 225 unselected male college students. Torque occurred for 33.8% of the sample and was associated with handedness and conjugate lateral eye movement tendencies in a manner consistent with T. H. Blau's (see record 1978-29447-001) mixed cerebral dominance theory of the effect. Eye movement data from torque Ss were consistent with those reported for hospitalized schizophrenics. Multiple ANOVA conducted on the adjustment measures did not reveal significant differences associated with torque, alone or in interaction with S handedness or experimenter sex. Torque, a behavioral indicator of peculiarities in hemispheric functioning, is a potentially valuable tool for schizophrenia research. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting outcomes of psychotherapy: A comparison of predictions from two attitude theories.

Compared social judgment and dissonance theory in their ability to predict the outcomes of psychotherapy on the basis of patient-therapist attitudinal similarity. 65 mental health clinic outpatients of 16 therapists were given attitude questionnaires before and after approximately 12 therapy contacts. It was found that dissonance theory was better able than social judgment theory to predict both those attitude changes that took place and the amount of similarity that a patient perceived between himself and his therapist. On the other hand, certain concepts from social judgment theory did prove efficacious in predicting certain kinds of outcomes among certain therapy conditions, but not in the manner predicted. Finally, certain outcomes of psychotherapy were found to be unpredictable from either theory studied. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences and their relation to social structure in domestic cats.

Two groups of domesticated cats with established social structures were tested for their response to novel stimuli in a variety of test situations. Clear individual differences in responses were consistent over a series of test sessions and remained stable despite regular environmental changes. Individual differences in behavioral response were not related to object dominance (food competition) or social dominance (freedom of movement in social encounters) unlike similar studies with social animals. No relationship was found in either group between a cat's rank in object dominance and its rank in social dominance. Significant correlations were demonstrated in the individual cat's latency to approach a novel stimulus, behavioral rank in test situations, and attention span in both groups of cats. Comparisons were made between similar studies with wolves, and inferences were drawn about the relationship between individual differences and social structure in social and nonsocial species. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social scientists and decision makers look at the usefulness of mental health research.

Interviewed 100 social scientists and 155 decision makers in mental health about what makes social research useful for public policy. Contrary to the expectations of the social scientists, the 2 groups evaluated research and the research-to-policy connection in much the same ways. Where there were disagreements, social scientists overestimated the role of political considerations and underestimated the role of scientific merit in decision makers' judgments of what is useful. The pattern of results suggests that the most important difference between groups lies in their notions of what it means to use research. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Holland's theory and resignations from the Catholic clergy.

Administered a biographic inventory, Holland's Vocational Preference Inventory, and the Adjective Check List (ACL) to 50 active and 50 resigned priests. Resigned Ss could not be differentiated from those who remained based on personality variables and person-environment interaction factors as expressed in J. Holland's theory of vocational choice or by demographic data. On the ACL, resigned priests scored significantly higher on confidence, achievement, dominance, endurance, and order. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Repulsion or attraction?: Group membership and assumed attitude similarity.

Three studies investigated group membership effects on similarity-attraction and dissimilarity-repulsion. Membership in an in-group versus out-group was expected to create initially different levels of assumed attitude similarity. In 3 studies, ratings made after participants learned about the target's attitudes were compared with initial attraction based only on knowing target's group membership. Group membership was based on political affiliation in Study I and on sexual orientation in Study 2. Study 3 crossed political affiliation with target's obnoxiousness. Attitude dissimilarity produced stronger repulsion effects for in-group than for out-group members in all studies. Attitude similarity produced greater increments in attraction for political out-group members but not for targets with a stigmatic sexual orientation or personality characteristic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)