Aside from lightening our wallets, feelings of inferiority can also lead us to gain weight. Marketing professor David Dubois, also at Northwestern, and his colleagues have repeatedly demonstrated that when people feel unimportant, they are more likely to opt for an extra- large coffee or smoothie. The researchers did not know, however, whether consumers make this choice because size confers status or because they want to consume more when they are feeling low. To answer this question, Dubois and his colleagues designed an experiment in which they instructed participants to imagine themselves as either a high-ranking boss or a lowly employee. Then they asked people to choose between a small or large container in which to eat a serving of a constant size, either a slice of pizza or a smoothie.

The imaginary employees were significantly more likely than the pretend bosses to pick the large container, even though the amount of food was the same in all cases. The researchers conclude that big things may signal higher status, and thus powerless people buy more food because it comes in physically larger packages. Of course, the additional calories collected in these packages could also play a role in real life. Either way, a side effect of buying bigger food products may be weight gain, which, of course, can affect not only health but also the way others perceive us.

When we are plagued by painful feelings of low status, our judgment may become clouded. We may focus more on being happier in the moment than on figuring out how our behavior will affect us in the long run. For example, the perceived link between power and portion size may help explain, at least in part, why obesity has increased most rapidly among Americans who are underprivileged.

The good news is that manipulating what signals high status could steer people toward better choices. When Dubois and his co-workers told people that choosing minimal portions was a high-status move, they picked smaller appetizers. Simply being aware that your behavior may be under the influence of feelings of low status may improve your judgment. When you are in line at a deli, tempted by the extra-large latte or jumbo fries, reflect on your emotional state. If something just happened that made you feel less than vaunted, you may “want” the big size for reasons other than hunger.

The next time that you are making a purchase, be aware of your motives. If you harbor feelings of insecurity, you might want to come back later, when you feel a little cockier. You might get a better deal.

This article was originally published with the title The Perils of Paying for Status.

5 Comments

1. 1. Richieo 08:41 AM 4/16/12

   Personally, I don't agree, I don't feel the need to look important or well off, this only makes you a target for robbers, burglers, thieves, muggers and conmen etc. When I go to one of my mansions, I look like a gardener, when go aboard one of my yachts, I look like one of the crew, I don't look important but I know I am and it feels great!

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2. 2. Jim Lacey 12:12 PM 4/16/12

   The self-confident do not need fancy cars or luxury items, especially when they can afford them. A cheap Timex keeps time just as accurately as a Rolex, and a Ford or a Honda will get you there as comfortably as a Ferrari. The statement that expensive luxuries make is often that their owner feels the need to impress others. Maybe my comments make more sense in New England, where a display of wealth is considered vulgar. Maybe in parts of Florida and California you need a fancy car to be taken seriously.

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3. 3. EyesWideOpen in reply to Richieo 05:48 PM 4/16/12

   Thanks for validating the efficacy of this article's basic premise.

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4. 4. EyesWideOpen in reply to Jim Lacey 05:52 PM 4/16/12

   Suppose you really appreciate the quality of Rolex, but want to use "reverse psychology" by not wearing it around those who may envy you, steal it from you, or judge you as having the need to impress them? The information on human nature this article provides is a cornucopia for master manipulators with specific objectives for influencing people (i.e. politicians). Romney was a horse's -a- for not taking advantage of this human weakness (and thank God for that).

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5. 5. dubina 03:43 AM 4/19/12

   Good start. Now, please tackle the fact that advertisers pander more to women than men. Feel free to notice control of disposable income, the paramount importance of personal appearance and other psychological factors.
   
   After that, go after college selection, in particular, the notion that parents and students can buy more rewarding future employment by sending / going to prestigious schools rather than less distinguished schools. How do those strategies work out in aggregate?
   
   Finally, take a look a fee-for-service healthcare. I can well imagine some seriously flawed attitudes and beliefs about that.
   
   In summary, stop beating around the bush and take on some real problems. It would be good for someone to do those studies and publish what they find by early October at the latest.

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