New paper on status concerns and self-optimization published in Sociology Compass

Status concerns have been linked to a range of social problems in affluent societies. In this paper, we used representative survey data from about 3,551 workers in Germany to examine how status seeking, status anxiety, and a competitive working climate relate to self-optimization. A stronger drive for high status was associated with greater willingness to use prescription drugs without medical need to boost cognitive performance. This association was stronger among people with status anxiety and among those working in competitive environments. Our findings suggest that positive status experiences, such as feeling valued at work, may be particularly important for highly ambitious people.

Read the paper: https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/soc4.70156