4 ms·
err, what?
by sbge 9y ago
err, what?
- bagels 9y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_(ethology)#Controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_(ethology)#Controversy "Researcher L. David Mech, one of the primary creators of the Alpha male hypothesis for wolves, later found additional evidence that the concept of an Alpha male may have been an erroneous interpretation of incomplete data and formally disavowed this terminology in 1999. He explained that it was heavily based on the behavior of captive packs consisting of unrelated individuals, an error reflecting the once prevailing view that wild pack formation occurred in winter among independent gray wolves. Later research on wild gray wolves revealed that the pack is usually a family consisting of a breeding pair and its offspring of the previous 1–3 years.[16] Researcher M.W. Foster investigated primates and found that the leaders were more likely to be those who did more for those around them instead of being determined by strength. [17] In humans, the concept of an alpha male was challenged as being largely nonexist as per an article by Dean Burnett, who found that human leadership roles vary wildly based on the current social context, and traits attributed to an "Alpha" might be exhibited in one scenario, and traits attributed to a "Beta" might be exhibited in a different scenario by the same individual. [18]"
- Retric 9y agoAlpha, Beta, Omega etc is commonly used by primate researchers and thus is far more relevant for human behavior. Wolf behavior is mostly irrelevant in that context.
- Clubber 9y agoMy kid likes the show "Adam Ruins Everything," which is a myth debunking show. He went over the same things you just stated. The concept of "Alpha male" was all hype that just stuck.
- lotyrin 9y agoWhat evidence do you have that a category "Alpha" exists and can be used to make generalized statements about behavior?
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- notadoc 9y agoPresumably they are referencing the animal kingdom.
- bitwize 9y agoThe researcher who coined the term "alpha male" for wolves later rescinded any claim to the term's validity. Turned out he was studying "packs" of random wolves kept in captivity, and the "fights for dominance" were actually territorial disputes between unrelated wolves. Packs in the wild consist of an elder mated pair and their adult children. So in the wild, "alpha wolf" is more like "grandpa or grandma wolf".
- EliRivers 9y agoHe's disputing the belief that there is such a thing as an "alpha" male type, outside and beyond the circular definition that anyone who is a "winner" in life is an alpha male; I suspect the belief that this is real is (rightly or wrongly) so thoroughly embedded that people don't notice themselves believing in it without having checked the evidence.
- wickawic 9y agoIt is slightly strange. The related concept of 'type A' vs 'type B' personalities is useful (even if not backed by science) to bucket people based on their general behavior. But only with men do we take that single step further and say that the 'type A'-ness is actually an intrinsic property of their being instead of just a way they behave.
- Clubber 9y agoMyers-Briggs is total BS as well.
- matthewowen 9y agoLook at the article. Even just the abstract. It claims that changes at Northwestern's campus meant that a type of student who previously didn't join frats started to join frats. By looking at those students, you attempt to control for "interest in joining a frat" as a variable, and look at the outcomes for people with equivalent interest who either did or did not join a frat.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]