2021 Thorson PhysiologicalLinkageSuccessfulHighstatus
The paper investigates how physiological linkage—time‑lagged synchrony of cardiac inter‑beat intervals (IBI)—relates to persuasion success in mixed‑gender, culturally heterogeneous small groups. In 31 groups (119 participants from 55 countries) one woman was randomly assigned a high‑status role and covertly instructed to persuade the group to select a pre‑designated firm. IBI was recorded throughout a ten‑minute decision‑making task, and sender/receiver linkage scores were computed for each dyad using lagged regression controlling for physiological stability. Results showed that (1) groups were more likely than chance to adopt the high‑status woman’s recommendation; (2) successful high‑status women were rated as more persuasive; (3) successful high‑status women exhibited stronger receiver linkage—their physiology was predicted by that of their female group members but not male members; (4) no comparable sender linkage effects were found. The authors argue that attentional attunement to female teammates underlies this pattern, extending prior work on physiological linkage and leadership to women in globally diverse teams. Limitations include the lack of male leader comparison and the need for behavioral correlates of linkage. Future work should explore gender composition effects, male leader physiology, and experimental manipulation of attention to teammates.
Topics
Experimental Design: High‑Status Female Persuader in International Small Groups
Details the recruitment of 119 students from 55 nations, formation of 3‑4‑person groups, random assignment of a woman to a high‑status role, covert persuasion instructions, and the mock firm‑selection task.
Cardiac Inter‑beat Interval (IBI) Measurement and Idiographic Linkage Scoring
Explains the collection of continuous ECG, 30‑second IBI intervals, computation of reactivity scores, and the lagged regression model (Equation 1) that yields separate sender and receiver linkage scores for each dyad, controlling for physiological stability.
Manipulation Checks and Baseline Reactivity Findings
Reports that participants correctly identified the high‑status member, and that high‑status individuals showed greater IBI reactivity (more negative values) than low‑status peers, confirming increased effort/engagement.
Group Decision Outcomes: High‑Status Women Influence Choices Above Chance
Shows that 60.7% of groups selected the firm advocated by the high‑status woman, a statistically significant deviation from the 20% chance level, indicating effective persuasion.
Perceived Persuasiveness Ratings Favor Successful High‑Status Women
Finds that successful high‑status women received higher persuasiveness ratings than unsuccessful high‑status women, low‑status women, and low‑status men, supporting a link between objective success and subjective perception.
Receiver‑Oriented Physiological Linkage for Successful High‑Status Women
Demonstrates that only successful high‑status women showed significant receiver linkage—their IBI was predicted by female group members’ IBI but not by male members—highlighting gender‑specific attunement.
Absence of Sender‑Oriented Linkage and Gender Interaction Effects
Reports null effects for sender linkage across roles and that the sender‑gender interaction was significant only for successful high‑status women, reinforcing the asymmetry of the linkage pattern.
Theoretical Implications: Attention, Gender, and Leadership in Heterogeneous Teams
Discusses how the findings extend theories of physiological linkage, suggesting that successful persuasion may depend on the persuader’s sensitivity to teammates, especially same‑gender members, in culturally diverse settings.