Alpha male or alpha male is an expression from the branch of zoology, used to describe an element of a group of animals that presents dominant features, being the leader of this group.
The expression can be explained because alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, which means that the element that has this designation is the first, the most important.
In the case of humans, an alpha male (or alpha male) is the designation of an individual dominant and confident, who plays a leadership role in relation to other members of the group. The characteristics of the alpha male allow him to have a high capacity for seduction and conquest. On the other hand, a beta (or omega) male is seen as a not-so-confident, more submissive male, with less ability to seduce. Despite this, many women reveal that they prefer to be in a relationship with a beta or omega male/male.
In the world of irrational animals, an alpha male assumes the top of the hierarchy within his community, having various privileges, such as
priority access to food. In addition, he can also choose the females he will breed with. As one of the alpha's functions is to defend the group and the territory, in some species the female can also assume the role of alpha, because they are often bigger and stronger than the males. Wolf packs, for example, have an alpha male and an alpha female.An alpha male reinforces his authority through the bullying, engaging several times in physical confrontations. When an alpha male loses a fight, he loses his alpha status.
The opposite of the alpha male is the omega male, the weakest member of the group and submissive to all others. The beta male, on the other hand, is the second in the hierarchy, assuming the first position when the alpha dies or when he loses this status.
Ethology (the branch of zoology) reveals that if a mother has a high position in the hierarchy, and if she has a offspring that is male, she has a greater chance of becoming an alpha male. In the case of chimpanzees, animals that are not dominant often hide or pretend not to find food when they are close to an alpha male. This way, they can eat alone when the alpha male is not present.