title: Sartorial symbols of social class elicit class-consistent behavioral and physiological responses: a dyadic approach.
abstract: Social rank in human and nonhuman animals is signaled by a variety of behaviors and phenotypes. In this research, we examined whether a sartorial manipulation of social class would engender class-consistent behavior and physiology during dyadic interactions. Male participants donned clothing that signaled either upper-class (business-suit) or lower-class (sweatpants) rank prior to engaging in a modified negotiation task with another participant unaware of the clothing manipulation. Wearing upper-class, compared to lower-class, clothing induced dominance--measured in terms of negotiation profits and concessions, and testosterone levels--in participants. Upper-class clothing also elicited increased vigilance in perceivers of these symbols: Relative to perceiving lower-class symbols, perceiving upper-class symbols increased vagal withdrawal, reduced perceptions of social power, and catalyzed physiological contagion such that perceivers' sympathetic nervous system activation followed that of the upper-class target. Discussion focuses on the dyadic process of social class signaling within social interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California.
authors.forename: Wendy Berry
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Mendes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003020:Clothing / Q000523:psychology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012919:Social Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone