Hierarchy stability moderates the effect of status on stress and performance in humans

Abstract

High social status reduces stress responses in numerous species, but the stress-buffering effect of status may dissipate or even reverse during times of hierarchical instability. In an experimental test of this hypothesis, 118 participants (57.3% female) were randomly assigned to a high-or low-status position in a stable or unstable hierarchy and were then exposed to a social-evaluative stressor (a mock job interview). High status in a stable hierarchy buffered stress responses and improved interview performance, but high status in an unstable hierarchy boosted stress responses and did not lead to better performance. This general pattern of effects was observed across endocrine (cortisol and testosterone), psychological (feeling in control), and behavioral (competence, dominance, and warmth) responses to the stressor. The joint influence of status and hierarchy stability on interview performance was explained by feelings of control and testosterone reactivity. Greater feelings of control predicted enhanced interview performance, whereas increased testosterone reactivity predicted worse performance. These results provide direct causal evidence that high status confers adaptive benefits for stress reduction and performance only when the social hierarchy is stable. When the hierarchy is unstable, high status actually exacerbates stress responses.status | stress | performance | testosterone | cortisol

Hormonal underpinnings of status conflict: Testosterone and cortisol are related to decisions and satisfaction in the hawk-dove game

“…Selecting the dominance behavioral strategy (hawk) may have caused cortisol concentrations to decrease, but selecting the deference behavioral strategy (dove) may have caused cortisol concentrations to increase. This pathway from behavior to cortisol changes is consistent with recent experimental evidence indicating that stable dominant positions buffer cortisol stress responses, whereas stable subordinate positions exacerbate cortisol stress responses (Knight and Mehta, 2017). This pathway is also consistent with evidence that acts of aggressive behavior can be rewarding and may reduce cortisol concentrations (Virgin and Sapolsky, 1997;Chester and DeWall, 2016).…”

When does power trigger approach motivation? Threats and the role of perceived control in the power domain

“…More generally, animal and human studies indicate that potential loss of control produces stress in those at the top of the hierarchy (Knight & Mehta, 2017;Sapolsky & Share, 2004;Scheepers, 2009). Typically, when hierarchies are unstable, alpha males experience higher levels of stress than do alpha males in stable hierarchies (Gesquiere et al, 2011).…”

Social evaluative threat with verbal performance feedback alters neuroendocrine response to stress

“…Initially, ‘coupling’ was theorized to be observed primarily in adolescents who may need to maintain capacity to activate androgens even under stress (Ruttle et al, 2015; Susman et al, 2017), yet positive coupling has also been observed in adults (Bobadilla, Asberg, Johnson, & Shirtcliff, 2014, Harden et al, 2016). Marceau and colleagues (2014) examined coupling in response to three stressors and other research has examined multiple stress biomarkers (Bedgood, Boggiano, & Turan, 2014; Chatterton, Vogelsong, Hudgens, & 1997; Eatough et al, 2009; Knight & Mehta, 2017, Turan, Tackett, Lechtreck, & Browning, 2015). Yet to our knowledge, this is the first study to examine coupling of cortisol, testosterone, and DHEA during the TSST.…”