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Seeking structure in social organization: compensatory control and the psychological advantages of hierarchy.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Friesen, JP; Kay, AC; Eibach, RP; Galinsky, AD
Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology
April 2014

Hierarchies are a ubiquitous form of human social organization. We hypothesized that 1 reason for the prevalence of hierarchies is that they offer structure and therefore satisfy the core motivational needs for order and control relative to less structured forms of social organization. This hypothesis is rooted in compensatory control theory, which posits that (a) individuals have a basic need to perceive the world as orderly and structured, and (b) personal and external sources of control are capable of satisfying this need because both serve the comforting belief that the world operates in an orderly fashion. Our first 2 studies confirmed that hierarchies were perceived as more structured and orderly relative to egalitarian arrangements (Study 1) and that working in a hierarchical workplace promotes a feeling of self-efficacy (Study 2). We threatened participants' sense of personal control and measured perceptions of and preferences for hierarchy in 5 subsequent experiments. Participants who lacked control perceived more hierarchy occurring in ambiguous social situations (Study 3) and preferred hierarchy more strongly in workplace contexts (Studies 4-5). We also provide evidence that hierarchies are indeed appealing because of their structure: Preference for hierarchy was higher among individuals high in Personal Need for Structure and a control threat increased preference for hierarchy even among participants low in Personal Need for Structure (Study 5). Framing a hierarchy as unstructured reversed the effect of control threat on hierarchy (Study 6). Finally, hierarchy-enhancing jobs were more appealing after control threat, even when they were low in power and status (Study 7).

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Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

April 2014

Volume

106

Issue

4

Start / End Page

590 / 609

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Social Psychology
  • Social Control, Formal
  • Self Efficacy
  • Personal Autonomy
  • Motivation
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Humans
 

Citation

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Friesen, J. P., Kay, A. C., Eibach, R. P., & Galinsky, A. D. (2014). Seeking structure in social organization: compensatory control and the psychological advantages of hierarchy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106(4), 590–609. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035620
Friesen, Justin P., Aaron C. Kay, Richard P. Eibach, and Adam D. Galinsky. “Seeking structure in social organization: compensatory control and the psychological advantages of hierarchy.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 106, no. 4 (April 2014): 590–609. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035620.
Friesen JP, Kay AC, Eibach RP, Galinsky AD. Seeking structure in social organization: compensatory control and the psychological advantages of hierarchy. Journal of personality and social psychology. 2014 Apr;106(4):590–609.
Friesen, Justin P., et al. “Seeking structure in social organization: compensatory control and the psychological advantages of hierarchy.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 106, no. 4, Apr. 2014, pp. 590–609. Epmc, doi:10.1037/a0035620.
Friesen JP, Kay AC, Eibach RP, Galinsky AD. Seeking structure in social organization: compensatory control and the psychological advantages of hierarchy. Journal of personality and social psychology. 2014 Apr;106(4):590–609.

Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

April 2014

Volume

106

Issue

4

Start / End Page

590 / 609

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Social Psychology
  • Social Control, Formal
  • Self Efficacy
  • Personal Autonomy
  • Motivation
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Humans