Feeling entitled to rules: Entitled individuals prevent norm violators from rising up the ranks

Psychological entitlement and conspiracy beliefs: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

Psychological entitlement describes the dispositional tendency to claim excessive and unearned rewards and resources, and to demand undeserved special treatment. In one experiment, one cross-sectional survey, and one time-separated survey (total n = 721), we show that psychological entitlement is associated with general conspiracy theory endorsement, COVID-19 specific conspiracy theory endorsement, and conspiracy theorizing as an overarching cognitive style. We find those high in entitlement are more likely to report having made discretionary visits to non-essential venues and services (e.g. buffets, spas, casinos) during the pandemic, and that these risky public health behaviors are mediated through beliefs in conspiracy theories. We identify consequences for public health behavior and conclude with a research agenda for better understanding the underlying mechanisms linking entitlement and conspiracy beliefs.

Climbing the ladder or falling from grace? A threat-opportunity framework of the effects of norm violations on social rank

'Social norms keep anarchy at bay, yet norm violations are omnipresent. Although norm violators are generally rejected from higher-ranking positions, they sometimes rise up the ranks. We advance a threat-opportunity framework to understand how contextual factors shape norm violators' downward or upward mobility in social hierarchies. The contextual factors we identify pertain to attributes of the actor (violator), the observer, and the cultural context, which influence whether norm violations are construed as threats or opportunities. Norm violators rise up when their actions promote group goals, but they fall from grace when their actions obstruct observers' own interests or culturally reinforced goals. We offer a review of the literature, which supports the threat-opportunity framework. We close by suggesting future research directions.