SOCIAL STATUS AND HEALTH IN HUMANS AND OTHER ANIMALS
Saturday, 10 Oct 2009, 12:55
Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Neal Grout, Sunday, 18 Oct 2009, 21:38
SOCIAL STATUS AND HEALTH IN HUMANS AND OTHER ANIMALS
Robert M. Sapolsky
Departments of Biological Sciences, Neurology, and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5020; Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya; email: sapolsky@...
Abstract
Abstract Dominance hierarchies exist in numerous social species, and rank in such hierarchies can dramatically influence the quality of an individual's life. Rank can dramatically influence also the health of an individual, particularly with respect to stress-related disease. This chapter reviews first the nature of stress, the stress response and stress-related disease, as well as the varieties of hierarchical systems in animals. I then review the literature derived from nonhuman species concerning the connections between rank and functioning of the adrenocortical, cardiovascular, reproductive, and immune systems. As shown here, the relationship is anything but monolithic. Finally, I consider whether rank is a relevant concept in humans and argue that socioeconomic status (SES) is the nearest human approximation to social rank and that SES dramatically influences health.
SOCIAL STATUS AND HEALTH IN HUMANS AND OTHER ANIMALS
Robert M. Sapolsky
Departments of Biological Sciences, Neurology, and Neurological Sciences,
Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5020; Institute of Primate
Research, National Museums of Kenya, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya; email:
sapolsky@...
Abstract
Abstract Dominance hierarchies exist in numerous social species, and rank in
such hierarchies can dramatically influence the quality of an individual's
life. Rank can dramatically influence also the health of an individual,
particularly with respect to stress-related disease. This chapter reviews
first the nature of stress, the stress response and stress-related disease,
as well as the varieties of hierarchical systems in animals. I then review
the literature derived from nonhuman species concerning the connections
between rank and functioning of the adrenocortical, cardiovascular,
reproductive, and immune systems. As shown here, the relationship is
anything but monolithic. Finally, I consider whether rank is a relevant
concept in humans and argue that socioeconomic status (SES) is the nearest
human approximation to social rank and that SES dramatically influences
health.
INTRODUCTION
http://academic.reed.edu/biology/professors/srenn/pages/teaching/2008_syllab
us/2008_readings/9_sapolsky_2004_stress.pdf