Theory X and Theory Y

Biological Parallel

Baboon troops led by aggressive despots (Theory X) suffer higher cortisol, slower wound healing, and lower infant survival than troops with prosocial leaders who groom, reconcile, and build coalitions (Theory Y). When Robert Sapolsky studied savanna baboons, the aggressive males died from tuberculosis; the remaining prosocial culture persisted for decades, proving that leadership assumptions shape physiological outcomes. Theory X management isn't just ineffective—it's biologically costly.