by Minerva Agatha Zipporah on May 26th, 2012, 4:23 pm
*hugs Cassy*
It's basically Alpha Dog mentality. The big dog gets the biggest piece of meat. Just like how the rich and powerful people in this country get all the best, most expensive luxuries in life.
Psychologically, that same mindset of 'if I'm on top, I win and get the rewards,' applies all the way down to the simplest interactions. People want the rewards that come with being King of the Hill, whether those rewards be the big promotion at work, the bigger TV, or just the pride of "I'm right and you're wrong". That communication reward valence motivates people even if they aren't aware of it. This method of communication gives the person a positive, superior feeling. So they keep doing it to feel better about themselves.
That doesn't make it 'right,' but there IS psychology behind it.