Status, defined as the extent to which one is respected and admired, is a ubiquitous and fundamental force in all groups and organizations. Yet, scholars’ understanding of the attributes that garner status is limited in several ways. First, prior status theorizing and research tends to prioritize the task-related needs of groups, focusing on competence and generosity as bases of status because these are important attributes for achieving successful task performance. However, status research has paid little attention to the attributes that address groups’ socioemotional needs, which are likewise central to overall group effectiveness. Second, prior work has tended to conflate status with influence, even though they are distinct. However, influence can derive from factors that are quite different from, and even antithetical to, respect and admiration. This has created confusion about who attains status and how. In this research, we address both limitations and extend prior status research by providing greater conceptual clarity on the antecedents of status. We theorize that affective commitment and positive affect, in addition to competence and generosity, shape one’s status in groups because they provide value by enhancing groups’ socioemotional needs. We also clarify the role of dominance in status dynamics; although dominance can lead to influence, we predict that dominance is unrelated to one’s status in work groups and can undermine others’ desire to interact with the focal individual in the future.
