Social dominance: the preference for a hierarchical world

in #steemchurch7 years ago

Social dominance is a personality trait that determines attitudes towards certain political issues. People with more orientation towards social dominance will prefer hierarchical social systems, which means that they have less intense reactions (be more "tolerant") when they perceive discrimination. That is, they will prefer societies in which people belong to strata or social groups that are divided by status.

People oriented to social dominance are antiqualitarian. Somehow they reject egalitarian societies where all people maintain the same status. They emphasize the differences between people, which they consider deserved and argue that some groups deserve more benefits than others.

"If two ride a horse, one must go behind."
-William Shakespeare-


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Dominance in politics

The subjects that have a high orientation to social dominance, in general, try to maintain the differences of status. Also, when they can, they increase them. Always, as we can imagine, they want to belong to the group with the highest status. In general, they are power seekers, dominant, impulsive, "hard-boiled" and often use indifference as a form of punishment or as a resource to signal their superior status to others. Their beliefs can be summarized with the phrase "the big fish eats the little one".

"Where there is a boss, do not send a sailor".

A high orientation to social dominance is related to preferences for conservative policies. It is also related to opposition to political programs that defend equality, such as equal rights for homosexuals. Conservatives tend to be more interested in the hierarchical structure of society and in maintaining the inequality of the status quo in order to safeguard their status from their group or theirs.

Dominance and personality

Authoritarianism is another personality trait that is often related to social dominance. People with both traits show attitudes that could be considered sexist and racist. They stand out for their negative attitudes towards other groups, for their prejudices towards disadvantaged groups. Although they also maintain prejudices towards groups that pose a threat or could come to represent it.

On the other hand, social dominance is also related to other personality traits. In particular, people with a high orientation to dominance tend to have less openness to new experiences and are less friendly. They usually recognize that their motivation lies in their own interest, they are quite self-centered.

This personality responds to his belief that the world is a competitive place. They have to be prepared to achieve success through power and domination. Since they do not like new experiences, they value security, stability and control. Factors, the latter, also related to authoritarianism.

"In a world of democracies, in a world where the great projects that have put humanity on fire are the projects of the emancipation of people of entrenched social division and hierarchy, and in that world people should never be puppets or prisoners of the societies or cultures in which they were born ".
-Roberto Unger-


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Dominance and culture

The levels of social dominance, at a high level, vary from one society to another. Although it is assumed that humans have a predisposition to express the social domain, certain conditions make it more or less likely. We find that in democratic societies social dominance is less experienced. The same happens in more cooperative societies and in which the concern for the welfare of others is high. High incomes, together with lower economic inequality, also seem to be related to low dominance.

On the other hand, societies in which revenues are lower, that remain traditional or conservative, and that maintain older public institutions tend to prefer social dominance. The people who are raised in these societies will internalize the hierarchies and will not criticize them. An example, we find it in gender hierarchies. People who live in more traditional countries have gender ideologies based on segregation and differences of power, which is why they are against equality.

"In a hierarchy, every employee tends to ascend, to their level of incompetence."
-Laurence J. Peter-

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Interesting post about social dominance; I totally agree. I think, people with this personality trait can also have authoritarian personality trait, where they show obedience to their boss, but oppress their subordinates.

This is a very deep and controvessial issue, maybe most people like the hierarchy, have dominion over others, if it is used in a positive way it would be positive, `but when used as they do the majority by pride, domain , then we deviate from the divine purpose. Equality.

DR

Excellent message @abordo, it is good to know that our Lord Jesus, came to the world to serve and not to be served, which shows that I stop being the first to be the last and despised for love of us.

When we are in Christ we learn to overcome all social levels, of course for the younger ones this is more difficult but everything in Jesus is possible

This act is exhibited at every stage life the rich to the rich but when we folllow the foot steps of Jesus we become one and seek the welfare of other living outside the hierarchy order

In a universe of majority rules systems, in reality as we know it where the immense undertakings that have put humankind ablaze are the activities of the liberation of individuals of dug in social division and pecking order, and in that world individuals ought to never be manikins or detainees of the social orders or societies in which they were conceived.

That is a well said here brother "On the other hand, societies in which revenues are lower, that remain traditional or conservative, and that maintain older public institutions tend to prefer social dominance. The people who are raised in these societies will internalize the hierarchies and will not criticize them. An example, we find it in gender hierarchies. People who live in more traditional countries have gender ideologies based on segregation and differences of power, which is why they are against equality"

"In a world of democracies, in a world where the great projects that have put humanity on fire are the projects of the emancipation of people of entrenched social division and hierarchy, and in that world people should never be puppets or prisoners of the societies or cultures in which they were born ".

Christ is our best example. He himself became poor for us to be rich.
He left His heavenly Kingdom to come in human flesh to die for our sins.
He proved that there is no social hierarchy in Heaven.

This is a very good message.
There is always order in any aspect of life.
Our progress in this order depends on our attitude

This is great compilation.
A unique one indeed.
Most people prefer to associate with tos whom they have the same social class with and make them friends.
Its good to do this because you may be down looked when you associate with people who are of lesser class than you but you should always find means to bring everybody around you in an alignment to what you do because he whom you think is not important will always and will defunatelly be of help one day.
In any country we find our self weather the economic system favours us or not er should always be there and be dedicated to the country and people around us.
We don't have two lives neither do we have a spair one
How we influence people around us matters a lot to the living God and to our country

I love the part that says; A high orientation to social dominance is related to preferences for conservative policies. It is also related to opposition to political programs that defend equality, such as equal rights for homosexuals. Conservatives tend to be more interested in the hierarchical structure of society and in maintaining the inequality of the status quo in order to safeguard their status from their group or theirs.

yes i absoutly thanks for sharing this posts!

very good post, well described, and very well researched!

Really Impressed From This Post.
Keet It Up.