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Dominance hierarchies: Difference between revisions
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A '''dominance hierarchy''' is | A '''dominance hierarchy''' is an arrangement in groups of animals in which each member has a rank that everyone mostly agrees upon. | ||
== Overview == | == Overview == | ||
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The highest ranking animal is called ''alpha'', the next highest ''beta'' and so on. In many species, the alpha animals have some interest in maintaining alliances with lower ranking ones to avoid a [[Beta uprising|beta/omega uprising]]. | The highest ranking animal is called ''alpha'', the next highest ''beta'' and so on. In many species, the alpha animals have some interest in maintaining alliances with lower ranking ones to avoid a [[Beta uprising|beta/omega uprising]]. | ||
Dominance hierarchies are regulated by various inherited behaviors and abilities, e.g. the ability to remember and recognize one's own and other's ranks quickly and reliably, but they also include emotions and signals like envy, admiration, status drive, acceptance of lower status (withdrawal, blushing etc.). | Dominance hierarchies are regulated by various inherited behaviors and abilities, e.g. the ability to remember and recognize one's own and other's ranks quickly and reliably, but they also include emotions and signals like envy, admiration, status drive, as well as signals of acceptance of lower status (withdrawal, blushing etc.). | ||
== Dominance hierarchies in humans == | == Dominance hierarchies in humans == | ||
In most animals, rank is only decided by strength and health, but in others also by [[beauty|ornament]]. | In most animals, rank is only decided by strength and health, but in others also by [[beauty|ornament]]. | ||
Humans | Humans have the most complex behavior of all animals, so a wide variety of things affect status such as competence, looks/ornament, strength, humor, socioeconomic status etc. Everyone is part of many status hierarchies at the same time. | ||
Modern human status hierarchies are both larger and a lot more strict than the natural ones that one finds in hunter-gatherers. For example status is explicitly represented e.g. by occupational prestige, income, educational qualifications etc. often within large organizational or economic systems. But many of the ancient ways of organizing smaller hierarchies exist nearly unchanged, e.g. the way people respect tall and strong men and also good looking people etc. | Modern human status hierarchies are both larger and a lot more strict than the natural ones that one finds in hunter-gatherers.<ref>https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594205078</ref> | ||
For example status is explicitly represented e.g. by occupational prestige, income, educational qualifications etc. often within large organizational or economic systems. But many of the ancient ways of organizing smaller hierarchies exist nearly unchanged, e.g. the way people respect tall and strong men and also good looking people etc. | |||
Men's hierarchies revolve more around the ability to extract resources, but also looks. Since men benefit from cooperation in resource extraction, their intrasexual competition is more productive and cooperative than women's. | Men's hierarchies revolve more around the ability to extract resources, but also looks. Since men benefit from cooperation in resource extraction, their intrasexual competition is more productive and cooperative than women's. | ||