Perceptions and explanations of status in the United Arab Emirates: The role of ascribed and achieved characteristics

Abstract

Ascribed and achieved characteristics influence individuals’ positions in a social hierarchy. I explore how status characteristics and status ideologies influence expectations about economic opportunities in the United Arab Emirates, a wealthy, highly diverse, and internationally stratified society where beliefs in meritocracy are nationally supported. In Studies 1 and 2, participants reported the extent to which they perceived various characteristics to influence an individual’s salary. Participants whose nationality placed them higher in the economic hierarchy expected achieved markers of status to play a larger role than ascribed markers in determining pay. Across groups, the more participants believed in meritocracy, the more they expected achieved markers to play a role. In Study 3, participants predicted the economic success of individuals who varied in ascribed and achieved characteristics. Across participant groups, both ascribed and achieved characteristics were expected to influence an individual’s economic success. Taken together, results suggested that both ascribed and achieved characteristics are expected to influence an individual’s position in the socioeconomic hierarchy, but only differences rooted in achieved characteristics are legitimized. Group differences and implications for system stability are discussed.

“What was meant to be” versus “what might have been”: Effects of culture and control on counterfactual thinking.

“…When that expectation is not present, individuals may question outcomes and the role they played in eliciting them. Such a finding is consistent with previous research showing that Arabs endorse both primary and secondary control (see Rashwan & Jenkins, 2017), as well as with other work showing that Arabs in the UAE may hold seemingly conflicting beliefs or values and access or apply them differently across social contexts (see Maitner, in press; Maitner et al, 2017). In contrast, White Americans may show a more simplistic emphasis on primary control regardless of context, and thus emphasize counterfactual possibilities for an actor.…”

Where you come from matters: familial class background plays a greater role for status-related judgements in France than in the United States ( Tu procedencia importa: la clase social familiar de pertenencia tiene más peso en los juicios sobre el estatus social en Francia que en Estados Unidos )

“…Instead, Americans might be more likely to signal social rank based on other relevant dimensions, such as their meritocratic accomplishments (Hochschild, 1995;Kluegel & Smith, 1986). Indeed, evidence is emerging for the link between achieved status characteristics and beliefs in meritocracy (Maitner, 2023).…”

“…Los resultados sugieren que, mientras que en Francia señalizar los antecedentes de la clase social familiar de pertenencia puede ser algo aceptable e incluso importante, en Estados Unidos no ocurre lo mismo, sino que los estadounidenses podrían ser más propensos a señalizar su rango social basándose en otras dimensiones relevantes, como sus logros meritocráticos (Hochschild, 1995;Kluegel & Smith, 1986). De hecho, existe evidencia del vínculo entre las características del estatus logrado y las creencias en la meritocracia (Maitner, 2023).…”