Dominance hierarchy: Difference between revisions

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{{Redirect|Alpha male|the slang terms for men|Alpha and beta male|dominance hierarchies in humans|Dual strategies theory|other uses|Alpha male (disambiguation)}}

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[[File:Mandrillus sphinx (alpha male).jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|A high-ranking male [[mandrill]] advertises his status with bright facial coloration.<ref name="LeighSetchell2008">{{cite journal |last1=Leigh |first1=Steven R. |last2=Setchell |first2=Joanna M. |last3=Charpentier |first3=Marie |last4=Knapp |first4=Leslie A. |last5=Wickings |first5=E. Jean |display-authors=3 |title=Canine tooth size and fitness in male mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) |journal=Journal of Human Evolution |volume=55 |issue=1 |year=2008 |pages=75–85 |doi=10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.01.001 |pmid=18472142 |bibcode=2008JHumE..55...75L }}</ref>]]

In the [[zoological]] field of [[ethology]], a '''dominance hierarchy''' (formerly and colloquially called a '''pecking order''') is a type of social [[hierarchy]] that arises when members of animal [[social animal|social groups]] interact, creating a ranking system. Different types of interactions can result in dominance depending on the species, including [[Ritualized aggression|ritualized displays of aggression]] or direct physical violence.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tibbetts |first=Elizabeth A. |last2=Pardo-Sanchez |first2=Juanita |last3=Weise |first3=Chloe |date=2022-02-28 |title=The establishment and maintenance of dominance hierarchies |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2020.0450 |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |language=en |volume=377 |issue=1845 |doi=10.1098/rstb.2020.0450 |issn=0962-8436 |pmc=8743888 |pmid=35000449}}</ref> In social living groups, members are likely to compete for access to limited resources and [[mating]] opportunities. Rather than fighting each time they meet, individuals of the same sex establish a relative rank, with higher-ranking individuals often gaining more access to resources and mates. Based on repetitive interactions, a social order is created that is subject to change each time a dominant animal is challenged by a subordinate one.