Social Dominance: An Intergroup Theory of Social Hierarchy and Oppression—Understanding the Hidden Mechanisms of Power, Control, and Systemic Oppression
 
Social Dominance: An Intergroup Theory of Social Hierarchy and Oppression by Jim Sidanius and Felicia Pratto presents a groundbreaking framework for understanding how dominance hierarchies are maintained across societies, institutions, and organizations. The book explains how social power is distributed, enforced, and reinforced through ideological systems, discrimination, and group-based dominance. At the Center for Integrative Neuroscience, this book is highly relevant to our theories on power dynamics, status manipulation, and the biological and psychological mechanisms that govern human hierarchies.
 
How This Book Connects to Our Work
✔ The Biological & Psychological Foundations of Hierarchy – Social dominance is not just a social construct—it is deeply embedded in human psychology and shaped by evolutionary mechanisms. This aligns with our work on status-seeking behavior, dominance hierarchies in medical and corporate environments, and the ways power consolidates in closed systems.
✔ Institutionalized Oppression & the Maintenance of Hierarchy—The book explains how those in power create ideological justifications for social inequality—whether through laws, corporate structures, or medical policies. This directly parallels our experiences with whistleblowing, retaliation, and the mechanisms corrupt institutions use to suppress dissent and maintain control.
✔ The Role of Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) in Leadership & Corruption—The book introduces the concept of SDO, which explains why certain individuals rise to power and perpetuate oppressive systems. This supports our understanding of sociopathic leadership, organizational mobbing, and how manipulative individuals exploit hierarchy for personal gain.
✔ The Interplay Between Power, Energy Theft, & Status Manipulation – Our Status Marble Game model mirrors many of the dynamics in this book, particularly in how power is stolen, exchanged, and used to maintain control over individuals and groups. The concepts of energy vampirism, psychological warfare, and dominance enforcement are reflected in the coercion, resource control, and strategic oppression detailed in this research.
✔ Breaking Free from Oppressive Hierarchies – The book discusses resistance strategies and how marginalized or targeted individuals can challenge dominance structures. This aligns with our focus on whistleblower resilience, energy sovereignty, and strategies for outmaneuvering institutional power players.
 
A Critical Read for Those Who Have Witnessed or Experienced Systemic Power Abuse
For those who have faced retaliation, social exclusion, or institutional corruption, Social Dominance provides a theoretical framework that validates these experiences and offers insight into the larger mechanisms at play. It reinforces our mission at the Center for Integrative Neuroscience to expose power structures, empower individuals to navigate hierarchical systems, and develop strategies for maintaining autonomy and resilience in oppressive environments.