What is an alpha male, and is this term applicable to humans?

Ethologists - scientists who observe the behavior of social animals - have long wondered: why do members of the herd or flocks obey the leader? How is the alpha male identified? And on what grounds within the beast community is established a rigid linear hierarchy? When it comes to single males with harems (as, for example, in chickens), then scientists, and before them and countless generations of farmers, observed the same hierarchy, but reigning among females. By the way, this term was first applied to a chicken, that is, a female. In 1922, the Norwegian scientist Scheldrupp-Ebbe formulated the "first pecking rule". The first starts eating at the feeding of hens alpha-female, then - beta, gamma and so on, to omega. An attempt by a subordinate to take the grain is immediately stopped immediately by a peck at the head from the side of the superior.

In monkeys, where there are several male and many female specimens with cubs (including grown-up sons) in the flock, the dominant alpha male is also clearly visible. Signs of his power are expressed in external features: the sex hormones provoke the growth of canines, the bright color of sciatic callosities (in some species). In general, such an animal shows its high position during mating. It keeps an eye on that no other member of the community, young or new, would claim his harem. However, in the life of a monkey flock, he takes a minimal part - where to go on a feeding solves the wise and experienced female.

Another hierarchy is observed in a pack of wolves. David Michich, who for several years observed their behavior, also argues that the discipline, cohesion and organization of the team largely depends on the personality of the leader. Alpha male - the wolf guides the pack on the hunt, first tramples the pathways in deep snow, raises the community from the rest, chooses the migration routes. Since these animals are monogamous and, in the main, animal family, keeping fidelity to partners, in the pack both males and females are united. Thus, in the school two hierarchical lines are formed - male and female. By the way, sometimes the wolf also plays the role of the leader of the pack.

In wolves, unlike primates, the alpha male shows open aggression rarely. To maintain order, a whole system of sound signals and gestures is used (showing canines, false attacks, emitting urine over the place where the opponent defecates). In addition, the leader never claims to all wolves of the flock: beta and gamma individuals also breed offspring. The only exception is omega males, which are also called biological castrates. But this does not happen on the initiative of the dominant leader, but because all the "ladies" in the flock refuse such in the vicinity.

Observations of the behavior of social (herd or united for hunting) animals led people to the idea that in the human society the same mechanisms operate as in the pack. After all Homo Sapiens left the bosom of nature, and is, in fact, a highly organized animal. These parallels between the behavior of people and animals in their communities led to the emergence of various theories (eugenics, social Darwinism, etc.), based on the fact that the alpha male will inevitably take a leading role. Moreover, in the history of mankind we find many examples when some social groups emphasized their dominant position with hairstyles, clothing, other signs, brutally punishing individuals of a lower rank for following such a fashion. It suffices to recall the prohibition of purple for plebs in ancient Rome or caste in India.

But in human society, unlike the bestial, more complex mechanisms operate. We see in ourselves, rather, the dominance of certain clans or groups than the demonstration of the power of some man. Even if the "alpha male" consolidates his position in society, he - according to the inherent right of inheritance inherent in human society - will transfer it to children who may not be alpha individuals, but gamma and even omega. If we talk about the leader's leadership qualities, then they can be developed with age, upbringing and education. If, as it is customarily mistakenly thought, alpha emphasizes aggressiveness, then this quality in the human community quickly puts such an individual out of the law and assigns it the role of a pariah. As we see, the image of "alpha" applied to the man is somewhat strained, but continues to be cultivated: this is the so-called "machismo" (from the word macho - a real man).