Stress and the stability of social systems: A review of neurophysiological research

Figures & data

Figure 1. Schematic overview of determinants and physiological indicators of stability stress.

Figure 2. Threat – Challenge Index (TCI) as a function of power and power stability (Scheepers et al., 2015). The TCI is based on mean standardised reactivity scores (i.e., task-baseline scores) of cardiac output and total peripheral resistance (multiplied with −1). Lower scores indicate a stronger tendency towards threat and higher scores indicate a stronger tendency towards challenge.

Figure 3. Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP, in mm Hg) as a function of group identification, group status and time of measurement (Scheepers & Ellemers, 2005).

Figure 4. Threat – Challenge Index (TCI) as a function of status and status stability (Scheepers, 2009). The TCI is based on mean standardised reactivity scores (i.e., task-baseline scores) of cardiac output and total peripheral resistance (multiplied with −1). Lower scores indicate a stronger tendency towards threat and higher scores indicate a stronger tendency towards challenge.

Figure 5. Threat – Challenge Index (TCI) as a function of group status and status legitimacy (Scheepers, 2017). The TCI is based on mean standardised reactivity scores (i.e., task-baseline scores) of cardiac output and total peripheral resistance (multiplied with −1). Lower scores indicate a stronger tendency towards threat and higher scores indicate a stronger tendency towards challenge.

Figure 6. Systolic blood pressure (SBP, in mm Hg) reactivity (debate–baseline) as a function of condition, sex and debating topic (Scheepers, Ellemers, & Sintemaarstensdijk, 2009).

Figure 7. Modern sexism as a function of condition and sex. Modern sexism scores can range between 1 and 7.

Table 1. Evidence for the stability-stress hypothesis among different types of species, hierarchies, and ranks.

Species	Hierarchy based on	Rank based on	Main findings	Source
Animal studies	Intra-group context	Power	● Diverse sources of instability within different type of primate groups leads to neuroendocrine (e.g., cortisol) response among those high in rank	● Sapolsky (2004; Sapolsky, 2005)
Human	Interpersonal context	Power	● Unstable dyadic task situations are stressful for the high power person (cardiovascular threat/cortisol response)	● Knight and Mehta (2017)● Scheepers et al. (2015)
Human	Inter-group context	Status	● Unstable or illegitimate group status is threatening for high-status group members (cardiovascular threat response)● Stronger for high group-identifiers	● Scheepers and Ellemers (2005)● Scheepers (2009; 2017)
Human	Social categories	Status/Power	● Cues about changing gender and ethnic status relations within society are threatening for white men (cardiovascular threat response	● Dover et al. (2016)● Scheepers et al. (2009)

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