Journal Article

Competence and the Evolutionary Origins of Status and Power in Humans

Chapais, Bernard

2015

Overview

In this paper I propose an evolutionary model of human status that expands upon an earlier model proposed by Henrich and Gil-White Evolution and Human Behavior , 22,165–196 ( 2001 ). According to their model, there are two systems of status attainment in humans—“two ways to the top”: the dominance route, which involves physical intimidation, a psychology of fear and hubristic pride, and provides coercive power, and the prestige route, which involves skills and knowledge (competence), a psychology of attraction to experts and authentic pride, and translates mainly into influence. The two systems would have evolved in response to different selective pressures, with attraction to experts serving a social learning function and coinciding with the evolution of cumulative culture. In this paper I argue that (1) the only one way to the top is competence because dominance itself involves competence and confers prestige, so there is no such thing as pure dominance status; (2) dominance in primates has two components: a competitive one involving physical coercion and a cooperative one involving competence-based attraction to high-ranking individuals (proto-prestige); (3) competence grants the same general type of power ( dependence-based ) in humans and other primates; (4) the attractiveness of high rank in primates is homologous with the admiration of experts in humans; (5) upon the evolution of cumulative culture, the attractiveness of high rank was co-opted to generate status differentials in a vast number of culturally generated domains of activity. I also discuss, in this perspective, the origins of hubristic pride, authentic pride, and nonauthoritarian leadership.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Analysis / Anthropology / Attainment / Authenticity / Behavior / Behavioral psychology / Behavioral Sciences / Biological Evolution / Biological Psychology / Coercion / Competence / Cooperation / Cultural change / Culture / Dominance / Evolution (Biology) / Evolutionary biology / Experts / Fear / Human behavior / Human evolution / Humans / Intimidation / Knowledge / Leadership / Power / Power (Psychology) / Prestige / Primates / Psychology / Self esteem / Social aspects / Social Behavior / Social Class / Social classes / Social Dominance / Social function / Social learning / Social Sciences / Status attainment