What’s it actually like to work under a boss who rules by fear versus one who earns respect? || Across three studies, dominant leaders left followers feeling less competent, connected, and in control. || Prestigious leaders boosted all three of those same psychological needs instead. || Those feelings directly predicted whether followers wanted to quit. || A leader’s style doesn’t just decide who’s in charge — it decides whether people want to stick around.
@article{LiChengBensonInPress,author={Li, Z and Cheng, JT and Benson, AJ},title={How leaders shape well-being and retention: Dominant leaders undermine and prestigious leaders enhance follower psychological need satisfaction},journal={Journal of Experimental Psychology: General},year={in press}}
2026
Cultural differences in the Personality Triad: The interplay of personality traits, situation characteristics, and behavioral states around the world
N
Kuper, G
Gardiner, E
Baranski, and
4 more authors
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2026
Does your personality show up the same way at a party as it does in a dull meeting — and does that depend on which country you’re in? Using data from more than 15,000 participants across 61 countries, this research traces how personality traits, the situations people encounter, and their moment-to-moment behavior connect to form what the authors call the Personality Triad, then tests whether that cycle works the same way worldwide. The results show the basic links between trait, situation, and behavior hold up across cultures, even as their strength shifts from place to place.
@article{kuper2026culturaldifferencesinthepers,title={Cultural differences in the Personality Triad: The interplay of personality traits, situation characteristics, and behavioral states around the world},author={Kuper, N and Gardiner, G and Baranski, E and Funder, DC and Rauthmann, JF and Yeung, VWL and {International Situations Project}},journal={Journal of Personality and Social Psychology},volume={130},number={5},pages={1002--1046},doi={10.1037/pspp0000581},year={2026}}
How different forms of social rank are expressed in social behavior: A study of emerging adults in cooperative and competitive contexts
NS
Chmielowice-Szymanski, JT
Cheng, MA
Millett, and
2 more authors
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 2026
How does standing in a group actually show up in everyday behaviour? The research follows emerging adults across cooperative and competitive situations to reveal how different routes to status are expressed through distinct patterns of social interaction. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@article{chmielowiceszymanski2026howdifferentformsofsocialran,title={How different forms of social rank are expressed in social behavior: A study of emerging adults in cooperative and competitive contexts},author={Chmielowice-Szymanski, NS and Cheng, JT and Millett, MA and Cillessen, AHN and others},journal={International Journal of Behavioral Development},pages={01650254251414345},doi={10.1177/01650254251414345},year={2026}}
2025
Cross-cultural evidence that intergroup conflict heightens preferences for dominant leaders: A 25-country study
Why do people sometimes rally behind forceful leaders? Across 25 countries, this research shows that intergroup conflict reliably increases the appeal of dominant leadership, suggesting that threat can shift what followers want from those in charge. The results reveal why the qualities that attract followers can change depending on what a group needs or fears.
@article{laustsen2025crossculturalevidencethatint,title={Cross-cultural evidence that intergroup conflict heightens preferences for dominant leaders: A 25-country study},author={Laustsen, L and Sheng, X and Ahmad, MG and Al-Shawaf, L and Banai, B and Banai, IP and others},journal={Evolution and Human Behavior},volume={46},number={3},pages={106674},doi={10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2025.106674},year={2025}}
2024
Power motives, personality correlates, and leadership outcomes: A person-centered approach
What kind of person wants power—and what happens when they get the chance to lead? This study identifies distinct profiles of dominance, prestige, and leadership motivation, then shows how those profiles connect to personality, self-perceptions, and behaviour in leaderless groups. The results reveal why the qualities that attract followers can change depending on what a group needs or fears.
@article{li2024powermotivespersonalitycorre,title={Power motives, personality correlates, and leadership outcomes: A person-centered approach},author={Li, Z and Lynch, J and Sun, T and Rizkyana, Q and Cheng, JT and Benson, AJ},journal={Journal of Personality},volume={92},number={4},pages={1211--1228},doi={10.1111/jopy.12882},year={2024}}
Prestige-based leadership offers women leaders an advantage and reduces gender inequality in leadership
Could a quieter, respect-based style of leadership help close the gender gap at the top? This commentary highlights evidence that prestige-based leadership—earning influence through expertise, respect, and value to the group—can give women an advantage and help narrow gender gaps in leadership. The findings show how respect, expertise, and perceived value can become powerful sources of influence.
@article{cheng2024prestigebasedleadershipoffer,title={Prestige-based leadership offers women leaders an advantage and reduces gender inequality in leadership},author={Cheng, JT},journal={Evolution and Human Behavior},volume={45},number={3},pages={319--320},doi={10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2024.04.007},year={2024}}
Personality and conceptions of religiosity across the world’s religions
E
Baranski, G
Gardiner, N
Shaman, and
5 more authors
Does religiosity look the same across faiths and cultures? Drawing on data from seven religious affiliations and 61 countries, this project examines how personality traits relate to two different conceptions of religiosity, finding consistent links to agreeableness, conscientiousness, and fairness alongside notable cultural variation. The findings show that some parts of the personality-religion connection travel well across the globe, while others depend heavily on context.
@article{baranski2024personalityandconception,title={Personality and conceptions of religiosity across the world's religions},author={Baranski, E and Gardiner, G and Shaman, N and Shagan, J and Lee, D and {International Situations Project} and Funder, DC and others},journal={Journal of Research in Personality},volume={110},pages={104496},doi={10.1016/j.jrp.2024.104496},year={2024}}
2023
Dominance and prestige in leadership
JT
Cheng
In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Leadership Studies, 2023
Why do some leaders inspire admiration while others rule through fear? This encyclopedia entry summarizes the dual strategies of dominance and prestige as distinct routes to leadership, drawing together evidence on how each shapes influence, followers’ emotions, and the long-term stability of rank. The piece offers a concise reference point for understanding the two faces of leadership.
@incollection{cheng2023dominanceandprestigeinlead,title={Dominance and prestige in leadership},author={Cheng, JT},booktitle={The SAGE Encyclopedia of Leadership Studies},editor={Goethals, GR and Allison, ST and Sorenson, GJ},publisher={SAGE Publications},year={2023}}
Sex and gender effects on power, status, dominance, and leadership–an interdisciplinary look at human and other mammalian societies
JT
Cheng, CK
Hemelrijk, T
Hentschel, and
3 more authors
What can humans and other mammals teach us about who gains power and why? This interdisciplinary review brings together evidence on sex, gender, dominance, status, and leadership to show where social hierarchies converge—and where they sharply differ—across species. The work sheds light on why fear, toughness, and the capacity to impose costs remain powerful forces in human groups.
@article{cheng2023sexandgendereffectsonpowerst,title={Sex and gender effects on power, status, dominance, and leadership--an interdisciplinary look at human and other mammalian societies},author={Cheng, JT and Hemelrijk, CK and Hentschel, T and Huchard, E and Kappeler, PM and others},journal={Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution},volume={11},pages={1340095},doi={10.3389/fevo.2023.1340095},year={2023}}
Eye gaze and visual attention as a window into leadership and followership: A review of empirical insights and future directions
JT
Cheng, FH
Gerpott, AJ
Benson, and
4 more authors
Can where we look reveal who we see as a leader? The article maps what eye-tracking research has uncovered about leadership and followership, while laying out promising directions for studying attention as social information. The results reveal why the qualities that attract followers can change depending on what a group needs or fears.
@article{cheng2023eyegazeandvisualattentionasa,title={Eye gaze and visual attention as a window into leadership and followership: A review of empirical insights and future directions},author={Cheng, JT and Gerpott, FH and Benson, AJ and Bucker, B and Foulsham, T and Lansu, TAM and others},journal={The Leadership Quarterly},volume={34},number={6},pages={101654},doi={10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101654},year={2023}}
Reading the room: Autistic traits, gaze behaviour, and the ability to infer social relationships
L
Forby, NC
Anderson, JT
Cheng, and
4 more authors
Can people tell who is connected to whom just by watching where others look? || The study examined how autistic traits shape gaze behaviour during social interaction. || Participants inferred relationships from subtle, fleeting visual cues alone. || Attention turned out to be deeply social — eyes quietly track who matters, who speaks, and who leads. || The findings suggest gaze itself is a hidden channel for reading group dynamics.
@article{forby2023readingtheroom,title={Reading the room: Autistic traits, gaze behaviour, and the ability to infer social relationships},author={Forby, L and Anderson, NC and Cheng, JT and Foulsham, T and Karstadt, B and Dawson, J and others},journal={PLOS ONE},volume={18},number={3},pages={e0282310},doi={10.1371/journal.pone.0282310},year={2023}}
The economic well-being of nations is associated with positive daily situational experiences
G
Gardiner, DI
Lee, E
Baranski, and
4 more authors
Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 2023
Does living in a wealthier country change what everyday life actually feels like? || Across nations, greater economic well-being was linked to more positive everyday situations. || The effect held even after accounting for individual and cultural differences. || National wealth seems to shape the texture of daily life itself, not just its opportunities. || The project also highlights what people share across cultures, even as context shapes the details.
@article{gardiner2023theeconomicwellbeingofnation,title={The economic well-being of nations is associated with positive daily situational experiences},author={Gardiner, G and Lee, DI and Baranski, E and Funder, DC and Beramendi, M and Bastian, B and others},journal={Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology},volume={4},pages={100088},doi={10.1016/j.cresp.2023.100088},year={2023}}
2022
When Toughness Begets Respect: Dominant Individuals Gain Prestige and Leadership By Facilitating Intragroup Conflict Resolution
When does being tough earn genuine respect rather than simple fear? This research shows that dominant individuals may gain prestige and leadership when they help settle conflicts within the group, revealing how coercive strength can sometimes be converted into respect. The findings show how respect, expertise, and perceived value can become powerful sources of influence.
@article{cheng2022whentoughnessbegetsrespect,title={When Toughness Begets Respect: Dominant Individuals Gain Prestige and Leadership By Facilitating Intragroup Conflict Resolution},author={Cheng, JT and Dhaliwal, NA and Too, MA},journal={Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology},volume={8},number={4},pages={383--406},doi={10.1007/s40750-022-00196-6},year={2022}}
Two ways to stay at the top: Prestige and dominance are both viable strategies for gaining and maintaining social rank over time
Is it better to be admired or feared if you want to stay on top? This longitudinal research shows that both prestige and dominance can help people gain and maintain standing in a group, though they do so through very different social strategies. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@article{mcclanahan2022twowaystostayatthetop,title={Two ways to stay at the top: Prestige and dominance are both viable strategies for gaining and maintaining social rank over time},author={McClanahan, KJ and Maner, JK and Cheng, JT},journal={Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin},volume={48},number={10},pages={1516--1528},doi={10.1177/01461672211042319},year={2022}}
The vigilante identity and organizations
FX
Chen, M
Graso, K
Aquino, and
4 more authors
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2022
Why do some employees see themselves as justified rule-enforcers who act outside formal authority? This article develops the idea of a vigilante identity and explains how it can shape behaviour, conflict, and control inside organizations. The idea helps explain why some people bypass formal authority and come to see rule-breaking as morally justified.
@article{chen2022thevigilanteidentityandorgan,title={The vigilante identity and organizations},author={Chen, FX and Graso, M and Aquino, K and Lin, L and Cheng, JT and DeCelles, K and Vadera, AK},journal={Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes},volume={170},pages={104136},doi={10.1016/j.obhdp.2022.104136},year={2022}}
What does human dominance really look like beyond obvious aggression? The article explains how dominance works as a broader strategy of influence built on threat, coercion, and the ability to impose costs—and why it remains central to understanding human hierarchy. The work sheds light on why fear, toughness, and the capacity to impose costs remain powerful forces in human groups.
@misc{zeng2022dominanceinhumans,title={Dominance in humans},author={Zeng, TC and Cheng, JT and Henrich, J},howpublished={Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 377 …},doi={10.1098/rstb.2020.0451},year={2022}}
2021
Harsh but expedient: dominant leaders increase group cooperation via threat of punishment
Can a harsh leader make a group more cooperative? Across a series of studies, the threat of punishment from a forceful leader increased cooperation, showing how fear-based leadership can solve collective-action problems even while carrying social costs. The results reveal why the qualities that attract followers can change depending on what a group needs or fears.
@article{chen2021harshbutexpedient,title={Harsh but expedient: dominant leaders increase group cooperation via threat of punishment},author={Chen, FX and Zhang, X and Laustsen, L and Cheng, JT},journal={Psychological Science},volume={32},number={12},pages={2005--2022},doi={10.1177/09567976211031208},year={2021}}
Dominance is necessary to explain human status hierarchies
JT
Cheng, JL
Tracy, and J
Henrich
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021
Can we really understand status without talking about fear and coercion? This article argues that dominance—gaining influence through threat and coercion—remains a distinct and necessary pathway for understanding human status hierarchies. The work sheds light on why fear, toughness, and the capacity to impose costs remain powerful forces in human groups.
@article{cheng2021dominanceisnecessarytoexplai,title={Dominance is necessary to explain human status hierarchies},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL and Henrich, J},journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},volume={118},number={22},pages={e2103870118},doi={10.1073/pnas.2103870118},year={2021}}
International optimism: Correlates and consequences of dispositional optimism across 61 countries
E
Baranski, K
Sweeny, G
Gardiner, and
2 more authors
Is optimism equally useful everywhere? Drawing on data from 61 countries, this project examines who tends to be optimistic and whether optimism is linked to well-being and positive functioning across very different cultural settings. The findings reveal both the broad appeal of optimism and the ways its benefits may depend on cultural context.
@article{baranski2021internationaloptimism,title={International optimism: Correlates and consequences of dispositional optimism across 61 countries},author={Baranski, E and Sweeny, K and Gardiner, G and {International Situations Project} and others},journal={Journal of Personality},volume={89},number={2},pages={288--304},doi={10.1111/jopy.12582},year={2021}}
Who in the world is trying to change their personality traits? Volitional personality change among college students in six continents
E
Baranski, K
Sweeny, G
Gardiner, and
2 more authors
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2021
How many people, across how many cultures, are actively trying to become a different kind of person? Drawing on more than 13,000 college students across 56 countries, this project finds that most people are trying to change something about their personality, most often toward greater emotional stability, conscientiousness, or extraversion. The findings reveal both a near-universal desire for self-change and the specific traits people most want to develop.
@article{baranski2021whointheworldistrying,title={Who in the world is trying to change their personality traits? Volitional personality change among college students in six continents},author={Baranski, E and Sweeny, K and Gardiner, G and Funder, DC and others},journal={Journal of Personality and Social Psychology},volume={121},number={5},pages={1140--1156},doi={10.1037/pspp0000389},year={2021}}
Taking charge and stepping in: Individuals who punish are rewarded with prestige and dominance
Why might the person who calls out bad behaviour end up gaining status? The article explains when stepping in to enforce group norms can earn both prestige and dominance by signalling commitment, strength, and value to the group. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@article{redhead2021takingchargeandsteppingin,title={Taking charge and stepping in: Individuals who punish are rewarded with prestige and dominance},author={Redhead, D and Dhaliwal, N and Cheng, JT},journal={Social and Personality Psychology Compass},volume={15},number={2},pages={e12581},doi={10.1111/spc3.12581},year={2021}}
Low fundamental and formant frequencies predict fighting ability among male mixed martial arts fighters
Can a fighter’s voice reveal how formidable he is? Among male mixed martial arts fighters, lower vocal frequencies predicted fighting ability, suggesting that the human voice can carry surprisingly useful information about physical fighting ability. The work turns an everyday social puzzle into a testable scientific question with implications for how people live and relate to one another.
@article{aung2021lowfundamentalandformantfreq,title={Low fundamental and formant frequencies predict fighting ability among male mixed martial arts fighters},author={Aung, T and Goetz, S and Adams, J and McKenna, C and Hess, C and Roytman, S and Cheng, JT and others},journal={Scientific Reports},volume={11},number={1},pages={1--10},doi={10.1038/s41598-020-79408-6},year={2021}}
Status Competition and Peer Relationships in Childhood
D
Redhead, JT
Cheng, and R
O’Gorman
In Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science, 2021
How early do children begin competing for status? The chapter looks at how competition for rank shapes friendships, rivalry, influence, and social development across childhood. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@incollection{redhead2021statuscompetitionandpeerrela,title={Status Competition and Peer Relationships in Childhood},author={Redhead, D and Cheng, JT and O'Gorman, R},booktitle={Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science},pages={7941--7950},doi={10.1007/978-3-319-19650-3_3639},year={2021}}
Individuals that Impose Costs
D
Redhead, JT
Cheng, and R
O’Gorman
In Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science, 2021
Why do some people command deference even when others do not particularly like them? The chapter shows how the capacity to impose costs contributes to dominance, deterrence, and rank within social groups. The work turns an everyday social puzzle into a testable scientific question with implications for how people live and relate to one another.
@incollection{redhead2021individualsthatimposecosts,title={Individuals that Impose Costs},author={Redhead, D and Cheng, JT and O'Gorman, R},booktitle={Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science},publisher={Springer},address={Cham},pages={4084--4089},isbn={978-3-319-19649-7},doi={10.1007/978-3-319-19650-3_3572},year={2021}}
The social transmission of overconfidence.
JT
Cheng, C
Anderson, ER
Tenney, and
3 more authors
Can overconfidence spread from one person to another? Across a series of studies, exposure to an overconfident person made others more overconfident too, showing how inflated self-beliefs can spread through social networks and shape group culture. The findings reveal how one person’s distorted self-belief can ripple outward and influence an entire social environment.
@article{cheng2021thesocialtransmissionofoverc,title={The social transmission of overconfidence.},author={Cheng, JT and Anderson, C and Tenney, ER and Brion, S and Moore, DA and Logg, JM},journal={Journal of Experimental Psychology: General},volume={150},number={1},pages={157--186},doi={10.1037/xge0000787},year={2021}}
Higher status in group
D
Redhead, JT
Cheng, and R
O’Gorman
In Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science, 2021
What does it mean to hold higher status in a group? The chapter shows how rank emerges, how it is recognized by others, and how higher-status individuals come to receive greater attention, influence, and deference. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@incollection{redhead2021higherstatusingroup,title={Higher status in group},author={Redhead, D and Cheng, JT and O'Gorman, R},booktitle={Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science},pages={3705--3709},doi={10.1007/978-3-319-19650-3_3495},year={2021}}
Can one overconfident voice in a group make everyone around them overconfident too? This piece translates research on the social transmission of overconfidence into practical guidance for teams and leaders, showing how confidence, even when miscalibrated, can spread from person to person and shape group decisions.
@article{cheng2020overconfidenceiscontagious,title={Overconfidence is contagious},author={Cheng, JT and Tenney, ER and Moore, DA and Logg, JM},journal={Harvard Business Review},year={2020}}
Situational experience around the world: A replication and extension in 62 countries
DI
Lee, G
Gardiner, E
Baranski, and
2 more authors
Do people around the world experience daily life in similar ways? Across 62 countries, this project maps common and culture-specific patterns in how people perceive everyday situations. The project highlights what people share across cultures while also showing how national context shapes everyday experience.
@article{lee2020situationalexperiencearoundt,title={Situational experience around the world: A replication and extension in 62 countries},author={Lee, DI and Gardiner, G and Baranski, E and {International Situations Project} and others},journal={Journal of Personality},volume={88},number={6},pages={1091--1110},doi={10.1111/jopy.12558},year={2020}}
Power, status, and hierarchy: current trends and future challenges.
What is the difference between having power, holding status, and sitting high in a hierarchy? This overview highlights major advances in the field and identifies the next big questions for understanding who gets influence and why. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@article{vankleef2020powerstatusandhierarchy,title={Power, status, and hierarchy: current trends and future challenges.},author={van Kleef, GA and Cheng, JT},journal={Current Opinion in Psychology},volume={33},pages={iv--xiii},doi={10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.03.011},year={2020}}
Dominance, prestige, and the role of leveling in human social hierarchy and equality
Why do people build hierarchies—and then work so hard to flatten them? The article explains how dominance and prestige create rank, while leveling mechanisms such as ridicule, resistance, and coalition-building help keep inequality in check. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@article{cheng2020dominanceprestigeandtheroleo,title={Dominance, prestige, and the role of leveling in human social hierarchy and equality},author={Cheng, JT},journal={Current Opinion in Psychology},volume={33},pages={238--244},doi={10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.10.004},year={2020}}
Why social status is essential (but sometimes insufficient) for leadership
Does high status automatically make someone a leader? This article explains why influence requires standing in a group while also showing when high-status people fail to translate standing into leadership. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@article{cheng2020whysocialstatusisessentialbu,title={Why social status is essential (but sometimes insufficient) for leadership},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL},journal={Trends in Cognitive Sciences},volume={24},number={4},pages={261--263},doi={10.1016/j.tics.2019.12.008},year={2020}}
Childhood growth in math and reading differentially predicts adolescent non-ability-based confidence: An examination in the SECCYD
Why are some teenagers more confident than their actual ability would suggest? Using longitudinal data, this study shows that childhood growth in math and reading predicts later confidence in different ways, helping explain how self-beliefs can drift away from performance. The research shows how patterns of confidence, competition, and social standing begin taking shape well before adulthood.
@article{vogt2020childhoodgrowthinmathandread,title={Childhood growth in math and reading differentially predicts adolescent non-ability-based confidence: An examination in the SECCYD},author={Vogt, RL and Cheng, JT and Briley, DA},journal={Learning and Individual Differences},volume={83},number={84},pages={101933},doi={10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101933},year={2020}}
The neurobiology of human social behavior: A review of how testosterone and cortisol underpin competition and affiliation dynamics
JT
Cheng and O
Kornienko
In Salivary Bioscience: Foundations of Interdisciplinary Saliva Research and Applications, 2020
How do hormones help decide whether we compete, connect, or back down? The article explains how testosterone and cortisol work together to shape competition, affiliation, status-seeking, and responses to social threat. The work connects social experience to biology, showing how relationships and competition can become written into the body.
@incollection{cheng2020theneurobiologyofhumansocial,title={The neurobiology of human social behavior: A review of how testosterone and cortisol underpin competition and affiliation dynamics},author={Cheng, JT and Kornienko, O},booktitle={Salivary Bioscience: Foundations of Interdisciplinary Saliva Research and Applications},editor={Granger, DA and Taylor, MK},publisher={Springer},address={Cham},isbn={978-3-030-35783-2},doi={10.1007/978-3-030-35784-9_22},year={2020}}
The evolution of pride and social hierarchy
JL
Tracy, E
Mercadante, Z
Witkower, and
1 more author
In Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2020
Why did humans evolve to feel pride? This chapter traces how pride may have evolved to help people communicate success, earn status, and manage their place in social hierarchies. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@incollection{tracy2020theevolutionofprideandsocial,title={The evolution of pride and social hierarchy},author={Tracy, JL and Mercadante, E and Witkower, Z and Cheng, JT},booktitle={Advances in Experimental Social Psychology},volume={62},pages={51--114},doi={10.1016/bs.aesp.2020.04.002},year={2020}}
Two signals of social rank: Prestige and dominance are associated with distinct nonverbal displays.
Z
Witkower, JL
Tracy, JT
Cheng, and
1 more author
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2020
Can you tell who is respected and who is feared just by watching their body language? This research identifies distinct nonverbal signatures of prestige and dominance, showing that the two routes to rank are communicated through different postures, gestures, and expressions. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@article{witkower2020twosignalsofsocialrank,title={Two signals of social rank: Prestige and dominance are associated with distinct nonverbal displays.},author={Witkower, Z and Tracy, JL and Cheng, JT and Henrich, J},journal={Journal of Personality and Social Psychology},volume={118},number={1},pages={89--120},doi={10.1037/pspi0000181},year={2020}}
Happiness around the world: A combined etic-emic approach across 63 countries
Does happiness mean the same thing everywhere? Combining a Western measure of independent happiness with a Japanese measure of interdependent happiness across 63 countries, this project tests whether both forms of happiness generalize across cultures. The findings help clarify which parts of happiness are broadly shared and which are shaped by cultural context.
@article{gardiner2020happinessaroundtheworld,title={Happiness around the world: A combined etic-emic approach across 63 countries},author={Gardiner, G and Lee, D and Baranski, E and Funder, D and {International Situations Project} and others},journal={PLOS ONE},volume={15},number={12},pages={e0242718},doi={10.1371/journal.pone.0242718},year={2020}}
2019
Towards meaningful comparisons of personality in large-scale cross-cultural studies
G
Gardiner, K
Sauerberger,
International Situations Project, and
2 more authors
In In Praise of an Inquisitive Mind: A Festschrift in Honor of Jüri Allik on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday, 2019
How can personality researchers meaningfully compare people across dozens of countries and cultures at once? Written for a festschrift honoring Jüri Allik, this chapter lays out the methodological challenges of large-scale cross-cultural personality research and proposes practical solutions. The work offers guidance for researchers designing the next generation of global personality studies.
@incollection{gardiner2019towardsmeaningfulcompariso,title={Towards meaningful comparisons of personality in large-scale cross-cultural studies},author={Gardiner, G and Sauerberger, K and {International Situations Project} and Funder, DC and others},booktitle={In Praise of an Inquisitive Mind: A Festschrift in Honor of Jüri Allik on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday},editor={Realo, A},pages={123--139},publisher={University of Tartu Press},year={2019}}
Assessing personality across 13 countries using the California Adult Q-set
G
Gardiner, E
Guillaume, N
Stauner, and
5 more authors
International Journal of Personality Psychology, 2019
Can one personality framework travel across cultures? This study applies the California Adult Q-set in 13 countries to examine which personality patterns generalize broadly and which depend on cultural context. The project highlights what people share across cultures while also showing how national context shapes everyday experience.
@article{gardiner2019assessingpersonalityacross13,title={Assessing personality across 13 countries using the California Adult Q-set},author={Gardiner, G and Guillaume, E and Stauner, N and Bae, J and Han, G and Moon, J and Bronin, I and others},journal={International Journal of Personality Psychology},volume={5},pages={1--17},doi={10.21827/ijpp.5.35039},year={2019}}
On the dynamics of social hierarchy: A longitudinal investigation of the rise and fall of prestige, dominance, and social rank in naturalistic task groups
DJ
Redhead, JT
Cheng, C
Driver, and
2 more authors
How does status rise, fall, and change hands inside real groups? By following real groups over time, this study reveals how prestige and dominance contribute differently to the emergence and persistence of standing in a group. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@article{redhead2019onthedynamicsofsocialhierarc,title={On the dynamics of social hierarchy: A longitudinal investigation of the rise and fall of prestige, dominance, and social rank in naturalistic task groups},author={Redhead, DJ and Cheng, JT and Driver, C and Foulsham, T and O'Gorman, R},journal={Evolution and Human Behavior},volume={40},number={2},pages={222--234},doi={10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2018.12.001},year={2019}}
2018
Force and Persuasion: How do we Humans Climb the Social Hierarchy?
JT
Cheng
University of Illinois Psychology Times Newsletter, 2018
What separates leaders who rule by fear from those who earn genuine respect? This newsletter piece introduces the dual strategies of dominance and prestige in plain language, translating research on social rank into an accessible account of how people climb, and hold onto, positions of influence.
@article{cheng2018forceandpersuasionhowdowe,title={Force and Persuasion: How do we Humans Climb the Social Hierarchy?},author={Cheng, JT},journal={University of Illinois Psychology Times Newsletter},year={2018}}
Prestige in a large-scale social group predicts longitudinal changes in testosterone
JT
Cheng, O
Kornienko, and DA
Granger
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2018
Can gaining respect actually change the body? In a large social group, prestige predicted later changes in testosterone, suggesting that earning respect may become biologically embedded over time. The findings show how respect, expertise, and perceived value can become powerful sources of influence.
@article{cheng2018prestigeinalargescalesocialg,title={Prestige in a large-scale social group predicts longitudinal changes in testosterone},author={Cheng, JT and Kornienko, O and Granger, DA},journal={Journal of Personality and Social Psychology},volume={114},number={6},pages={924--944},doi={10.1037/pspi0000126},year={2018}}
The psychological structure of humility
AC
Weidman, JT
Cheng, and JL
Tracy
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2018
What does it really mean to be humble? This research maps its psychological structure, distinguishing a sincere appreciation of others from self-abasing forms that may look humble but feel very different. The study clarifies why genuine humility is not the same as weakness, self-doubt, or simply thinking less of oneself.
@article{weidman2018thepsychologicalstructureofh,title={The psychological structure of humility},author={Weidman, AC and Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL},journal={Journal of Personality and Social Psychology},volume={114},number={1},pages={153--178},doi={10.1037/pspp0000112},year={2018}}
2017
Comparisons of Daily Behavior Across 21 Countries
EN
Baranski, G
Gardiner, E
Guillaume, and
4 more authors
Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2017
How similar is everyday behaviour across cultures? Using observations from 21 countries, this project compares what people actually do in daily life and reveals both striking commonalities and meaningful cultural differences. The project highlights what people share across cultures while also showing how national context shapes everyday experience.
@article{baranski2017comparisonsofdailybehaviorac,title={Comparisons of Daily Behavior Across 21 Countries},author={Baranski, EN and Gardiner, G and Guillaume, E and Aveyard, M and Bastian, B and Bronin, I and others},journal={Social Psychological and Personality Science},volume={8},number={3},pages={252--266},doi={10.1177/1948550616676879},year={2017}}
2016
The world at 7: 00: Comparing the experience of situations across 20 countries
E
Guillaume, E
Baranski, E
Todd, and
4 more authors
What is everyday life like around the world at exactly 7 p.m.? The project highlights what people share across cultures while also showing how national context shapes everyday experience.
@article{guillaume2016theworldat7,title={The world at 7: 00: Comparing the experience of situations across 20 countries},author={Guillaume, E and Baranski, E and Todd, E and Bastian, B and Bronin, I and Ivanova, C and others},journal={Journal of Personality},volume={84},number={4},pages={493--509},doi={10.1111/jopy.12176},year={2016}}
Listen, follow me: Dynamic vocal signals of dominance predict emergent social rank in humans
Can the sound of a voice predict who will rise in a group? This study shows that dynamic vocal cues associated with dominance predict who emerges as influential in a group. The work sheds light on why fear, toughness, and the capacity to impose costs remain powerful forces in human groups.
@article{cheng2016listenfollowme,title={Listen, follow me: Dynamic vocal signals of dominance predict emergent social rank in humans},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL and Ho, S and Henrich, J},journal={Journal of Experimental Psychology: General},volume={145},number={5},pages={536--547},doi={10.1037/xge0000166},year={2016}}
2015
Is she the one? Personality judgments from online personal advertisements
AC
Weidman, JT
Cheng, C
Chisholm, and
1 more author
How much can a dating profile reveal about its author? This research tests the accuracy of personality impressions formed from online personal advertisements and explores which traits are easiest—and hardest—to read. The findings show how personality shapes social behaviour while also being interpreted through the lens of culture and context.
@article{weidman2015isshetheonepersonalityjudgme,title={Is she the one? Personality judgments from online personal advertisements},author={Weidman, AC and Cheng, JT and Chisholm, C and Tracy, JL},journal={Personal Relationships},volume={22},number={4},pages={591--603},doi={10.1111/pere.12097},year={2015}}
Cross-cultural evidence for the two-facet structure of pride
Is pride the same emotion everywhere—or does it come in different forms? Across cultures, this research finds support for authentic pride linked to accomplishment and hubristic pride linked to arrogance, suggesting that the distinction travels well beyond a single society. The work shows how an emotion that feels deeply personal can also help organize status, ambition, and social relationships.
@article{shi2015crossculturalevidenceforthet,title={Cross-cultural evidence for the two-facet structure of pride},author={Shi, Y and Chung, JM and Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL and Robins, RW and Chen, X and Zheng, Y},journal={Journal of Research in Personality},volume={55},pages={61--74},doi={10.1016/j.jrp.2015.01.004},year={2015}}
2014
Job Market Memoir
JT
Cheng
SPSP Spotlight, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, 2014
What does the academic job market actually feel like from the inside? Written for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s spotlight series, this personal essay reflects on navigating the transition from graduate student to faculty member, offering an honest, first-hand account for early-career researchers facing the same uncertainty.
@article{cheng2014jobmarketmemoir,title={Job Market Memoir},author={Cheng, JT},journal={SPSP Spotlight, Society for Personality and Social Psychology},year={2014}}
Why do people care so deeply about where they stand? This book brings together leading research on how status is gained, signalled, measured, and experienced across social life. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@book{anderson2014thepsychologyofsocialstatus,title={The psychology of social status},editor={Anderson, C and Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL},publisher={Springer New York},doi={10.1007/978-1-4939-0867-7},year={2014}}
The assessment of social status: A review of measures and experimental manipulations
How can scientists measure something as slippery as social status? This chapter reviews the major ways researchers measure and manipulate social status, offering a practical roadmap for studying rank. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@incollection{cheng2014theassessmentofsocialstatus,title={The assessment of social status: A review of measures and experimental manipulations},author={Cheng, JT and Weidman, AC and Tracy, JL},booktitle={The Psychology of Social Status},pages={347--362},doi={10.1007/978-1-4939-0867-7_16},year={2014}}
Toward a unified science of hierarchy: Dominance and prestige are two fundamental pathways to human social rank
Do people rise to the top because they are feared or because they are respected? This chapter develops the dominance–prestige model as a unifying framework for understanding human standing in a group. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@incollection{cheng2014towardaunifiedscienceofhiera,title={Toward a unified science of hierarchy: Dominance and prestige are two fundamental pathways to human social rank},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL},booktitle={The Psychology of Social Status},pages={3--27},doi={10.1007/978-1-4939-0867-7_1},year={2014}}
Pride: The fundamental emotion of success, power, and status
What is pride actually for? The chapter shows how pride motivates achievement, communicates rank, and links the emotional experience of success to power and status. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@incollection{tracy2014pride,title={Pride: The fundamental emotion of success, power, and status},author={Tracy, JL and Weidman, AC and Cheng, JT and Martens, JP},booktitle={Handbook of Positive Emotion},pages={294--310},year={2014}}
2013
Are narcissists hardy or vulnerable? The role of narcissism in the production of stress-related biomarkers in response to emotional distress.
Do narcissists stay cool under pressure, or are they more fragile than they appear? The research explores whether narcissistic individuals show resilience or hidden physiological vulnerability when facing emotional distress. The research helps explain why outward confidence can coexist with emotional volatility and sensitivity to threat.
@article{cheng2013arenarcissistshardyorvulnera,title={Are narcissists hardy or vulnerable? The role of narcissism in the production of stress-related biomarkers in response to emotional distress.},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL and Miller, GE},journal={Emotion},volume={13},number={6},pages={1004--1011},doi={10.1037/a0034410},year={2013}}
The impact of wealth on prestige and dominance rank relationships
Does wealth change how status works? This commentary examines how material resources may strengthen, distort, or complicate the relationship between dominance, prestige, and standing in a group. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@article{cheng2013theimpactofwealthonprestigea,title={The impact of wealth on prestige and dominance rank relationships},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL},journal={Psychological Inquiry},volume={24},number={2},pages={102--108},doi={10.1080/1047840X.2013.792576},year={2013}}
Two ways to the top: Evidence that dominance and prestige are distinct yet viable avenues to social rank and influence
JT
Cheng, JL
Tracy, T
Foulsham, and
2 more authors
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2013
How do people climb to the top—by inspiring admiration or by making others back down? Across multiple studies, this research shows that dominance and prestige are distinct but effective routes to standing in a group and influence. The findings help explain why some people gain influence through admiration while others rise by making resistance feel costly.
@article{cheng2013twowaystothetop,title={Two ways to the top: Evidence that dominance and prestige are distinct yet viable avenues to social rank and influence},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL and Foulsham, T and Kingstone, A and Henrich, J},journal={Journal of Personality and Social Psychology},volume={104},number={1},pages={103--125},doi={10.1037/a0030398},year={2013}}
2012
Gossip as an effective and low-cost form of punishment
Could gossip be one of society’s cheapest tools for keeping people in line? This piece explains how sharing reputational information allows groups to punish bad behaviour without the costs of direct confrontation. The findings reveal how groups enforce norms—and why doing so can bring both social rewards and personal risks.
@article{feinberg2012gossipasaneffectiveandlowcos,title={Gossip as an effective and low-cost form of punishment},author={Feinberg, M and Cheng, JT and Willer, R},journal={Behavioral and Brain Sciences},volume={35},number={1},pages={25--25},doi={10.1017/S0140525X11001233},year={2012}}
The Emotional Dynamics of Narcissism: Inflated by Pride, Deflated by Shame
JL
Tracy, JT
Cheng, JP
Martens, and
1 more author
In The Handbook of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Theoretical Approaches, Empirical Findings, and Treatments, 2012
What emotions lie beneath narcissism’s confident surface? This chapter argues that pride and shame drive the cognitive and behavioral dynamics of both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, helping explain the swings between swagger and insecurity. The work shows how an emotion that feels deeply personal can also help organize status, ambition, and social relationships.
@incollection{tracy2012theemotionaldynamicsofnarcis,title={The Emotional Dynamics of Narcissism: Inflated by Pride, Deflated by Shame},author={Tracy, JL and Cheng, JT and Martens, JP and Robins, RW},booktitle={The Handbook of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Theoretical Approaches, Empirical Findings, and Treatments},pages={330--343},doi={10.1002/9781118093108.ch29},year={2012}}
2010
Gaze allocation in a dynamic situation: Effects of social status and speaking
T
Foulsham, JT
Cheng, JL
Tracy, and
2 more authors
Who gets watched in a group—and why? This study shows how gaze shifts dynamically toward speakers and high-status individuals, revealing how attention tracks both conversation and hierarchy. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@article{foulsham2010gazeallocationinadynamicsitu,title={Gaze allocation in a dynamic situation: Effects of social status and speaking},author={Foulsham, T and Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL and Henrich, J and Kingstone, A},journal={Cognition},volume={117},number={3},pages={319--331},doi={10.1016/j.cognition.2010.09.003},year={2010}}
Further thoughts on the evolution of pride’s two facets: A response to Clark
Why might humans have evolved two very different kinds of pride? The work shows how an emotion that feels deeply personal can also help organize status, ambition, and social relationships.
@article{shariff2010furtherthoughtsontheevolutio,title={Further thoughts on the evolution of pride's two facets: A response to Clark},author={Shariff, AF and Tracy, JL and Cheng, JT and Henrich, J},journal={Emotion Review},volume={2},number={4},pages={399--400},doi={10.1177/1754073910377242},year={2010}}
Pride, personality, and the evolutionary foundations of human social status
Could pride be one of the engines that drives people up the social ladder? This research links authentic and hubristic pride to different personality traits and distinct strategies for gaining social status. The research offers a clearer view of how people gain standing, keep it, and respond to those above and below them.
@article{cheng2010pridepersonalityandtheevolut,title={Pride, personality, and the evolutionary foundations of human social status},author={Cheng, JT and Tracy, JL and Henrich, J},journal={Evolution and Human Behavior},volume={31},number={5},pages={334--347},doi={10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.02.004},year={2010}}
Why should pride be understood as an evolved part of social life? The work turns an everyday social puzzle into a testable scientific question with implications for how people live and relate to one another.
@article{shariff2010naturalismandthetaleoftwofac,title={Naturalism and the tale of two facets},author={Shariff, AF and Tracy, JL and Cheng, JT},journal={Emotion Review},volume={2},number={2},pages={182--183},doi={10.1177/1754073909356004},year={2010}}
Why does pride exist at all? This article presents pride as an evolved system for motivating achievement, signalling success, and helping people navigate status relationships. The work shows how an emotion that feels deeply personal can also help organize status, ambition, and social relationships.
@article{tracy2010anaturalistsviewofpride,title={A naturalist's view of pride},author={Tracy, JL and Shariff, AF and Cheng, JT},journal={Emotion Review},volume={2},number={2},pages={163--177},doi={10.1177/1754073909354627},year={2010}}
2009
Authentic and hubristic pride: The affective core of self-esteem and narcissism
Why does one kind of pride build healthy confidence while another fuels arrogance? Authentic pride is tied to confidence and achievement, whereas hubristic pride is tied to arrogance and narcissism, helping explain why pride can be both adaptive and socially costly. The work shows how an emotion that feels deeply personal can also help organize status, ambition, and social relationships.
@article{tracy2009authenticandhubristicpride,title={Authentic and hubristic pride: The affective core of self-esteem and narcissism},author={Tracy, JL and Cheng, JT and Robins, RW and Trzesniewski, KH},journal={Self and Identity},volume={8},number={2-3},pages={196--213},doi={10.1080/15298860802505053},year={2009}}