This is the official second post in /u/Camille11325's relationship dynamics series! The introduction can be found here. I also posted a follow up that clarifies and expands on part one and offers several media examples of the dynamics in action.

The original RPWives discussion from a couple of years ago was really interesting, and can be read here.


There are an understandable amount of misconceptions surrounding the terms “alpha” and “beta”. A large percentage of people, even the most RP aware, are guilty of assuming that alpha is always good and beta is always bad. This same group usually also considers the terms to be binary and/or mutually exclusive, instead of existing on a spectrum. Many believe that all alphas act one way, and all betas act another way. Referring to all alpha men as “Chads” and conflating betas with omegas only furthers the misinformation.

The source of this confusion stems in part from the multiple ways that the term can be used. There are alpha, beta, and omega traits, and the proportion of each type within a man contributes to both his success in the sexual marketplace and his position in the male hierarchy.


Alpha personality traits are not the same as the “ideal” traits a man should have. Most are expressions of dominance, superiority, and strength, in one way or another. What I will refer to as “positive” characteristics inspire arousal and submission in women, and command the respect of men. Some examples: confidence, security in oneself, physical prowess, passion, charisma, bravery, resilience, drive, independence, ambition, sexuality, leadership, strategicness, magnanimity, and overall excellence.

The “negative” characteristics can cause pain, fear, mistrust, and heartache. Some examples: controlling others, manipulation, selfishness, cruelty, violence, arrogance, stubbornness, and being demanding of others. The terms positive and negative have nothing to do with morality, they are a description of the effect each trait has overall on another person or on the man himself. There are definitely situations where qualities in with the positive label could be used against others, and where “negative” qualities are actually preferred.

There are some other terms that we use in this community when describing alpha men, so let’s define them!

  • Dark Tetrad - Many of you know the term “Dark Triad” refers to a man with a high amount of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. The fourth trait is sadism, but most people use DT to mean the first three.

  • Caveman - this descriptor is used when talking about a man with a more primal masculinity. He is untamed by society and extremely aggressive. This is not a man for low threshold women! They seem to be uniquely suited for HH women, since these ladies have stronger frames.

  • Patriarchal - There are two different ways that “Patriarchal” is used. The first is when they are describing what should actually be called a greater beta. There is however a more elevated/extreme type of Patriarchal alpha, and this man would embody the King archetype (more info below), with a little more alpha-ness mixed in. Tywin Lannister is an excellent example of this type of man.

  • Renegade - Renegade alphas are also known as sigmas. These men are outside of the male hierarchy but unlike omegas, their outsider status is a bonus. Here is a great post that another user made that gives an excellent portrait of this type of man.

  • Apex - These guys are all around awesome. They excel in every way, even if you can’t put your finger on it. A lot of professionals are Apex alphas whether its athletes, wall street execs, musicians, or politicians.


Beta traits are essential to civilisation, and key to a solid long term relationship and marriage. Many positive beta traits are actually mistaken for alpha traits; some examples include responsibility, lawfulness, honesty, integrity, intellect, honor, generosity, and consideration of others. These traits allow others to connect with men and form relationships built on trust and mutual benefit. Greater Betas have a mixture of these positive traits, and positive alpha traits. They are traditional masculine men and excellent husband material for the majority of women. Negative beta qualities are often the inverse of positive alpha qualities - insecurity, supplication, spinelessness, weakness, feminine emotions/sensitivity, etc.


Omega traits arise when there is a lack of alpha and beta traits. The omega category is often forgotten, and unfortunately it leads to the dismissal of betas entirely. While negative beta traits arise from an innate desire to care and provide for others, omega traits are repellent. Men with a high amount of omega traits suffer from an inability to understand social dynamics and often respond inappropriately to situations, making others uncomfortable. They are off putting, which keeps them outside of the mainstream. This does lead to pseudo alpha traits since they can thrive in isolation and disregard the feelings and preferences of others.


Contrary to popular belief, men with 100% alpha traits do not rule in the male hierarchy. Different proportions of alpha and beta are required in any group leader, the exact amount depends on the overall status of the group he belongs to. The average lacrosse player will need to be more alpha than the average marine biologist. Similarly, when it comes to women, beta traits are necessary for harmonious committed relationships.

Male Archetypes

Keep in mind that these are not personality types, they are behaviour patterns, and each man has elements of each category. Each archetype has two sub-types that are a result of different proportions of negative alpha and beta traits, whereas the main type is mostly positive alpha with just a small amount of positive beta.

  • King - The king is a leader. He is decisive, powerful, mighty, centred, practical, and wise. He is protective of those under his care and aggressive against his enemies. He establishes order and is magnanimous with those who please him. On one extreme, the King becomes a Tyrant - cruel, demanding, unreasonable, selfish, and exploitative. On the other end of the spectrum, the King is a Weakling - cowardly, passive, immature, and insecure.

  • Warrior - The warrior is strong. He has a raw masculine energy that cannot be contained. He is aggressive, energetic, purposeful, decisive, adaptable, skillful, unstoppable, and loyal to his values. One extreme is the Sadist, who delights in the misery of others, destruction, and pain. The other is the Masochist, who is powerless and unable to command respect.

  • Magician - The magician is “the knower”. He is adept at social situations, intelligent, cunning, and masterful. The original theory gets very new age with this. In my personal theory I labeled this type of man “The Politician” because of the way he can navigate the ins and outs of power plays and leverage other’s weaknesses to his own advantage. One extreme of the Magician is the Detached Manipulator; this would be a man who is Machiavellian, cynical, and withholding. The Innocent One is the weaker extreme, he is not willing to put in effort to attain the power he wants, and he denies any responsibility and agency for his life.

  • Lover - The lover is passionate. About women, and about life. He is sensual, charismatic, and understanding. He can read people with ease and seeks out life’s pleasures. The Addicted Lover takes this too far and burns through women and experiences quickly to the point where he does not enjoy them or feel fulfilled. The Impotent Lover is depressed, lonely, and lacking. He is unable to connect with others and overly strict with himself.

This chart shows the relationship between the various qualities, along with the boyhood versions that I didn’t include. Just like the female archetypes, each man switches between the roles based on the situation at hand, in addition to having primary and secondary archetypes. Also these traits don’t have to all be at the same level - a man could be a Tyrant, Warrior, Detached Manipulator, and Lover.

Don’t get locked into thinking that only one of the archetypes is the true/best type of alpha. We can have our preferences but that doesn’t mean that the qualities we don’t like are lesser. If you are drawn to Warrior types that is great! But the Lover archetype is a valid manifestation of alpha, as is the Magician. I think Game of Thrones is an excellent example of the many different forms that alpha men come in (no spoilers in the comments I’m only on season 5 lol) and in the future I will write more about the show as it applies to this series.


Now for some notes on how this all ties in with the dynamics:

  • High dominance (H) men have over 50% alpha characteristics (positive and negative) and low dominance (L) men have over 50% beta characteristics (positive and negative). Omegas are not incorporated in this theory because it only applies to people who are a 5+ in both SMV and RMV.

  • Greater betas are L men, however they are still more dominant than the LL women that they are suited for. These men also are good matches for HL women, however there won’t be harmony if she does not respect him as a man.

  • Personality traits can sometimes be misleading. Not all alphas are extroverted, cocky - funny players, nor are they always explicitly leading others. Betas are also not all dorky losers who are inept with women.

  • Lower threshold women require a greater amount of positive beta traits, and the positive alpha traits are thrilling for her. An extremely low threshold woman may even prefer a man who only has positive beta traits, but she is likely to end up with someone that has negative beta traits as well.

  • High threshold women are drawn towards both the positive and the negative alpha traits. They may not require as many good beta traits, it depends on the individual woman.

  • Be careful about assuming that your man is H just because you are attracted to him! As /u/tintedlipbalm noted in the comments of my last dynamics post, learning about RPW often alters both your relationship and how you view it. You may have a greater awareness of his masculinity, as well as your own submission/deference, and this may have led to your man exhibiting more alpha traits since he is free to be himself. The elimination of negative beta traits, and the increase of positive alpha traits, makes him a Greater Beta :)


Thank you for reading I hope this was helpful and interesting! Looking forward to discussing it all with you in the comments <3