Biosocial Model of Status in Face-to-Face Primate Groups

Status ranks are allocated among members of a group through face-to-face interaction in a process that is similar across primate species, including humans. In the proposed model, every member of a group signifies its rank through physical or vocal demeanor. For example, behavioral signs of dominant status include erect posture, glares, eye contact, strutting, and (in humans) assertive speech. Individuals whose behavior exhibit dominance show high or rising levels of testosterone compared to those who exhibit deference. Cooperative and competitive allocation of ranks, the form of dominance contests, individual responses to stress, and modes of communicating status are discussed. The model is proposed as a theory about both sexes, but with a cauti on that little is known about sex differences in the relation of hormones to dominance behavior.