The majority envy and dislike high-status groups that are stereotyped as competent and cold, such as Asian Americans.
The dominant finding in the current literature, namely that out-group homogeneity and ethnocentrism are more pronounced for high-status groups, received no support.
For example, Trump support was linked to a belief that high-status groups, such as whites, Christians or men, faced more discrimination than low-status groups, like minorities, Muslims or women, according to Dr. Mutz's analysis of the NORC study.
And most people admire and respect "warm" relatively high-status groups that they don't perceive as competition (often because they are members of the group themselves), such as the middle class, and want to associate with them.
They found that students who were in high-status groups — wealthy, white, male, participating in Greek life — were more satisfied socially than those in low-status groups — less wealthy, racial minorities, female, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ), not participating in a fraternity or sorority.
"There's a tendency in the research and business world to use majority or high-status groups as a stand-in for all people, as the prototype of a human," explain Andre Cimpian, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, New York University.
We all seek the social recognition that comes with being part of high-status groups, be it a well-regarded profession, the fan base of a champion sports team, or a country's dominant ethnicity.
High status groups, mainly white men, are given freedom to deviate from the status quo because their competence is assumed based on their membership in the high status group.
This field study examining the effects of organizational status and multimedia audio communications technology on communication patterns in business meetings confirms that high status group members verbally dominate discussions and have more control over the flow of the proceedings.
Jamaica, the fifth country, retains a split workforce, with a separate and higher status group working with older children, though some improvements are being made in the training of workers in 'day care' centres (Jones, et. al., in press).
Importantly, although these are viewed from the perspective of a low status group member, comparable behaviours may also be adopted by high status group members.
