Paradox of integration - Dynamics of two-dimensional status

摘要

According to Peter M. Blau (Exchange and Power in Social Life, Wiley and Sons, 1964, p. 43), the process of integration of a newly formed group has a paradoxical aspect: most attractive individuals are rejected because they raise fear of rejection. Often, their solution is to apply a self-deprecating strategy (SDS), which articially raises the social statuses of their opponents. Here, we introduce a two-dimensional space of status, and we demonstrate that with this setup, the SDS can efficiently prevent the rejection. Examples of application of this strategy in the scale of a society are provided.