ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some results of investigations into the nature and functioning of status cues. It describes how the abstract generalizations can be explained, using existing theories of expectation states and status organizing processes in "Extending Status Characteristics Theory and Explaining the Generalizations". The chapter explains the abstract generalizations using the status characteristics theory. It introduces ideas which enable us to extend the status characteristics theory to deal with the effects of task cues on expectations in homogeneous situations. The chapter also introduces ideas which extend our status theory to deal with task cues as effects of expectations in status situations. It reviews the topic of status cues–both older studies which deal primarily with expressive categorical cues for such characteristics as race, sex, age, and ethnicity–and newer studies which emphasize expressive task cues such as speech styles, eye contact, and choosing the head of the table.
