I'm writing a research paper and I'm wondering if someone can help me out by throwing out a few terms. I'm looking for a theory that talks about how the more difficult a task is, the more authoritative / appreciated is the person who completed the task.For example, let's say Exam A is only passed by 5% of people that take it. Is there a cognitive theory that says that people who pass the exam will be more appreciated / seen as more authoritative given that they completed a task most fail at?
Does difficulty of task increase perceived authority?
social psychology;terminology