The Social Relations-Approach Theory of Social Hierarchy: Understanding the Distinct Psychological Experiences of Status and Power.

Despite extensive research on the psychology of power, relatively little theorizing has addressed the psychological experience of the other prevalent base of social hierarchy: status. Furthermore, the field lacks a unified theoretical framework that accounts for the psychological experience of both status and power. To address these gaps, we introduce the social relations-approach theory of social hierarchy. Our theory identifies social relations and approach orientation as the two fundamental dimensions that shape how individuals psychologically experience social hierarchy. We propose that status and power have divergent effects along the social relations dimension but similar effects along the approach dimension. Along the social relations dimension, status heightens a sense of symmetric interdependence across status levels. In contrast, power enhances asymmetric interdependence, with high power experiencing a sense of independence and low power experiencing a sense of dependence. Along the approach dimension, we propose that high power and high status each increase approach orientation but do so through different mechanisms shaped by the social relations dimension. We then offer novel propositions about how status and power differentially guide intrapsychic processes (group identification and attention to and action in pursuit of collective vs. personal goals) and interpersonal processes (trust and rank maintenance concerns). We also theorize how status and power operate in tandem (e.g., when one is high and one is low) and are moderated by properties of the hierarchy, the individual, the group, and national culture. Overall, our theory provides a parsimonious and generative understanding of the psychological experience of social hierarchy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).