In our first lecture, Dr. Rob Henderson introduces us to the psychology of social status, exploring its evolutionary roots, developmental origins, and the fundamental role it plays in shaping human behavior. He examines the two facets of status - dominance and prestige - and discusses how they differ in their characteristics and the ways in which they are attained. The lecture also covers the relationship between status and power, the universality of status-seeking across cultures, and the emotional and behavioral consequences of experiencing low or threatened status.

In lecture two, we explore individual differences in the desire for and pursuit of status, examining how various personality traits, including the Big Five, self-monitoring, the Dark Triad, and the Light Triad, as well as intelligence and age, relate to status-seeking behaviors and outcomes. The discussion highlights the nuanced relationships between these factors and status attainment, emphasizing the importance of balancing status pursuit with empathy and cooperation for long-term success.

In lecture three, we delve into the evolutionary reasons behind the human desire for status, focusing on sex differences in status-seeking behavior. We explore how status is tied to evolutionary fitness, as it increases access to resources, allies, and romantic partners, ultimately leading to greater offspring survival. We also examine the different arenas of status competition for men and women, discussing how women's mate preferences shape men's status-seeking strategies, and how both sexes engage in intrasexual competition for status and desirable mates.