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Of Tooth and Claw: Predator Self-Identifications Mediate Gender Differences in Interpersonal Arrogance

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Abstract

Men often score higher than women do on traits or tendencies marked by hostile dominance. The purpose of the present research was to contribute to an understanding of these gender differences. Four studies (total N = 494 U.S. undergraduates) administered a modified animal preference test in which participants could choose to be predator or prey animals, but not labeled as such. Men were consistently more interested in being predator animals than women were, displaying a sort of hostile dominance in their projective preferences. Predator self-identifications, in turn, mediated gender differences in outcomes related to hostile dominance. Studies 1 and 2 provided initial evidence for this model in the context of variations in interpersonal arrogance, and Studies 3 and 4 extended the model to nonverbal displays and daily life prosociality, respectively. The findings indicate that gender differences in hostile dominance are paralleled by gender differences in preferring to think about the self in predator-like terms. Accordingly, the findings provide new insights into aggressive forms of masculine behavior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 2765, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND, 58108-6050, USA

    Michael D. Robinson & Ian B. Penzel

  2. Psychology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Jessica L. Bair

  3. Meritco Services, Beijing, China

    Tianwei Liu

  4. Psychology Department, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    Matthew J. Scott

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  1. Michael D. Robinson
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Robinson, M.D., Bair, J.L., Liu, T. et al. Of Tooth and Claw: Predator Self-Identifications Mediate Gender Differences in Interpersonal Arrogance. Sex Roles 77, 272–286 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0706-y

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