The Social Hierarchy and Its Implications on High School Students

As much as we’ve evolved to stray away from the barbarism of our primal ancestors, we cannot get rid of certain instinctive reflexes. Flight-or-fight responses, courtship behaviour, and the preference of social hierarchies are among the innate instincts we are equipped with. 

In high school, evolution is among the least of our concerns; why trouble ourselves with the past when we are overwhelmed by the present? But understanding the parallels between evolutionary tactics and how they apply to our daily lives can help us rationalize our motivation, regardless of how arbitrary it seems. 

As a student, I’ve noticed in social groups, humans naturally form hierarchies based on conditions specific to that group. Often in a high school setting, these conditions can be defined as a combination of factors such as academic dexterity, athletic achievement, and appearance.

As Leo Tolstoy wrote in War and Peace, “The higher a man stands on the social ladder, the greater the number of people he is connected with, the more power he has over other people, the more obvious is the predestination and inevitability of his every action.” Through observing the power dynamics of a social group, Leo Tolstoy examines the repercussions of alienation while highlighting the dangers of strict conformity, both of which apply to a student body. 

From my observations, popularity is a cycle of confidence, attraction from others and, in turn, increased confidence. The status of one person may not remain consistent throughout every social group they are in and depends on their familiarity and comfort. In an area a student performs exceptionally well, they may be more well-known and have more connections to peers; those at the top of the “social ladder” are a model for those lower to emulate. In my school, many students who are well-known are not obvious, antagonist bullies like those portrayed in movies. Contrarily, popularity is often accompanied by talent, leadership, or intelligence, or a combination of all three. These students are often highly regarded and envied, having an unrivaled air of diligence and—as much as I hate to admit it—unparelleled perfection. These students are often glorified, making others reluctant to attempt to compete with them from fear of humiliation and judgement. A refusal to make an effort as a result of this fear is a trend I have not only observed in my own behaviour, but also in that of my friends. We sometimes adopt a nonchalant composure and undermine our desire to succeed because we don’t want people to know we had tried to and failed. The consideration of what others think of our ineptness may be a factor in limiting risk-taking and is thus detrimental to a student’s development. 

Committing to a task can be daunting but rewarding if the judgement of others is not taken too seriously; it can result in an incredible improvement in a specific area and build overall confidence. Similarly, expressing authenticity may not always be what is expected, but can lead to identity exploration and discovery if social norms are not strictly adhered to. The upper class of the social hierarchy seem to set the standard for what the middle- and lower-class students conform to. Deviation from these standards is mostly frowned upon and “irregular” students are shunned.

Limiting authenticity and stunting identity formation, the implications of a social hierarchy restrict behaviour deemed inappropriate by punishing those who engage in it. For example, someone who dresses uncommonly may be bullied and ridiculed. Ultimately, negative interactions condition an environment to exclusively have socially accepted styles. During my freshman year, I was obsessed with creating a persona that would fit flawlessly into my school’s culture; I adopted ingenuine mannerisms and even developed inauthentic interests to fall into the boundaries of social expectations.

Simultaneously, I was cautious to avoid students I deemed lower on the social hierarchy as I thought interacting with them would lower my status as well. Reflecting back, my behaviour was a result of insecurity inflicted by my obsession with climbing the social hierarchy. Status maintenance and assertion of power sometimes manifest in rapacious behaviour detrimental to both the inflictor and the affected. A social hierarchy seems disadvantageous, but it is an inborn instinct, nevertheless. As almost everything characteristic of humans seems to play a role, the need for a social hierarchy does as well. Prevalent in animal species, a hierarchy determines food and mate allocation among other uses. In human social groups, those at the top are rewarded with power, resources, and other benefits, thus being a significant motivator. A social hierarchy can also increase the efficiency of a group, reduce conflict, and maintain order. The natural need for this formation contrasts the consequences of obsessive indulgence in climbing it, suggesting moderation is ideal. It is vital to recognize when behaviour is driven by societal pressure or when it stems from authentic self-expression.