1. BACKGROUND Evolutionary Personality Psychology is the study of individual differences in evolved systems for social behavior. The most familiar and best studied of these is the attachment system, along with its associated dimensions of attachment style. Social rank is an important domain of social life that is managed by the social rank system (Bugental, 2000; Fournier et al., 2002; Gilbert, 1989). Social rank style is defined as individual differences in preferred strategies for assessing, pursuing, and maintaining social rank. We sought to develop a measure of individual differences in social rank style, analogous to individual differences in attachment style. ABSTRACT Evolutionary theorists have postulated an evolved system that controls rank-related social behavior. Social rank style can be defined as individual differences related to preferred strategies for assessing, pursuing, and maintaining social rank. Descriptions of four prototypical rank styles were decomposed into questionnaire items, which together constituted the Rank Style with Peers Questionnaire (RSPQ). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed three modestly correlated factors in college student samples: Dominant Leadership, Consensus-Building, and Ruthless Self-Advancement. Self-reports on all three scales converged with reports from friends and romantic partners. In a 1-week diary study, Directive Leadership predicted higher dominant behavior, Consensus-Building predicted higher agreeable behavior, and Ruthless Self-Advancement predicted variability in quarrelsomeness. The scales displayed discriminant validity from the Big Five and attachment style, as well as expected relations with self-esteem, loneliness, and social support. A 1-week diary study found that Dominant Leadership and Consensus-Building predicted low average levels of depression, whereas Ruthless Self- Advancement predicted increased vulnerability to daily hassles. Social rank styles, like the more familiar attachment style variables, are crucial determinants of social behavior and life adjustment. CONCLUSIONS The RSPQ is a reliable, valid measure of individual differences in social rank strategies. People’s self-perceived rank style are consistent with how they are perceived by others who know them well. Differences in social rank style are associated with predictable differences in social behavior as described by the interpersonal circumplex. Dominant leadership is associated with a wide range of positive outcomes, including high self-esteem, received social support, and lower risk for depressive symptoms. Consensus-building is also associated with positive outcomes. Ruthless self-advancement is a vulnerability factor for depression, and may represent a strategy adopted when people feel that they lack the qualities needed to successfully use the other two strategies. Rank styles are important personality constructs that have not previously been studied. A comprehensive evolutionary personality psychology is within reach, using measures of differences in attachment, social rank, and social exchange style. SOCIAL RANK STYLE: An Evolutionary Personality Psychology Construct David C. Zuroff, Marc A. Fournier, Erika Patall, Michelle J. Leybman, & John R. Z. Abela Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada ITEM GENERATION AND SELECTION Item writing was guided by 4 hypothesized prototypical rank styles. The resulting paragraphs were decomposed into 31 items. Exploratory principal components analysis with a Promax rotation was conducted in a sample of 360 college students, yielding three factors. Confirmatory factor analyses in two other large student samples produced replicable, good-fitting solutions with slightly correlated factors. The resulting 18-item questionnaire was named the Rank Style with Peers Questionnaire (RSPQ). SAMPLE ITEMS Dominant Leadership (5 items, alpha =.82) I feel comfortable assuming a leadership position. I often take initiative and make suggestions.. I am willing to be very assertive in promoting my contributions. Consensus-Building (7 items, alpha =.80) I prefer to cooperate. I try to listen to others' suggestions. I value teamwork. Ruthless Self-Advancement (6 items, alpha =.79) I find that sometimes it is necessary to conceal my personal agenda in order to advance my social standing. Sometimes, I feel it is necessary to set aside one’s loyalty in order to get ahead. An ambitious person cannot afford excessive loyalty to others. CONSTRUCT VALIDITY 76 male and 80 female college students completed the RSPQ and questionnaire measures of the Big Five, attachment style, self-esteem, loneliness, perceived social support, and received social support. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated numerous unique relations: Dominant Leadership: extraversion (+), conscientiousness (+), neuroticism (-), agreeableness (-), attachment security (+), attachment avoidance (-), self-esteem (+), loneliness (-), received social support (+) Consensus-Building: agreeableness (+), attachment avoidance (-), self- esteem (+), loneliness (-), perceived social support (+). Ruthless Self-Advancement: agreeableness (-), conscientiousness (-) PREDICTION OF DEPRESSION 52 college students (predominantly female) completed the RSPQ and then for the next 7 days the CES-D and a measure of daily hassles. Multilevel modeling showed that: Dominant Leadership and Consensus-Building were both negatively related to mean levels of depression over the 7 days. Ruthless Self-Advancement interacted with hassles. High levels of RSA was a vulnerability factor, increasing subjects’ reactivity to daily stress. SELF-OTHER AGREEMENT 50 college student heterosexual couples, each with a same-sex best friend, completed the RSPQ for self and/or the other. For males, 3 of 3 self-girlfriend and 2 of 3 self-friend correlations were significant, with significant r’s ranging from.31 to.51. For females, 2 of 3 self-boyfriend and 3 of 3 self-friend correlations were significant, with significant r’s ranging from.37 to.63. SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 46 female and 23 male college students completed the RSPQ and then completed Moskowitz’ (1994) Social Behavior Inventory (SBI) each day for the next week. The SBI assesses Interpersonal Circumplex variables of dominant, submissive, quarrelsome, and agreeable behavior. In multiple regression analyses: Dominant Leadership predicted high dominance, low submissiveness, and high quarrelsomeness. Consensus-Building predicted high agreeableness and low quarrelsomenesss. Ruthless Self-Advancement predicted high variability (flux: Moskowitz & Zuroff, 2004) in quarrelsomeness