Alpha/Beta Dynamics: Does this really exist?

trpRX · 2013-12-08T11:24:33+00:00

remove alpha and beta, and replace with leader and subordinate.. are you telling me you are the leader in everything you do? job, school, team, etc... not everyone can be at the top. I think you are just choosing to ignore it.

iKill_eu · 2013-12-08T13:07:27+00:00

Comment bait, but I'll bite.

It's not there if you don't look for it. Every situation has a leader and a or more followers. There's always someone taking charge, and as a result, someone not taking charge. If you don't notice it, it could be that you hang with mostly followers, or that you're a great leader. Good for you! But if you ended up in a room with the President of the United States, you would almost certainly act subordinate - and that's what the alpha/beta dichotomy is about.

work-the-balls · 2013-12-08T19:29:52+00:00

In humans the males are bigger than the females. In primates this indicates that the species is a tournament species (as opposed to pair bonding species where both are the same size).

In tournament species the dominant male gets his pick of the woman. Taking turns as they each come into heat.

Now things are always more complicated than they appear, but it is safe to proceed on the assumption we are animals and look to our closest relatives for clues about the evolutionary and biological basis for our behavior.

My two cents...

drrrrrr · 2013-12-10T00:59:36+00:00

Look, in any interaction there is a difference in power. Alpha and beta is just a construct, a crude approximation of what is going on. Here is a few examples - do you have a friend who sort of leads the group? When people are discussing plans, he waits until the end to opine, and then everyone just sort of agrees with what he said, and they do it? That is the dynamic.

If you're a "normal, confident guy" then you probably are what I think of as situationally alpha or situationally confident. For example amongst your familiar social circle, you have value and you can feel confident. If I took you into the packed LA club and asked you to go talk to random hot girls, you would likely not be confident and not able to act "normal". This means your confidence and normality is derived from you having soft, familiar circumstances.

In fact, I'd venture to say that if I were to meet you, I'd notice that in around 1/2 of the situations you're in, you are seeking approval, and the other half, you are the one giving it away. That is how most people - wedged firmly between beta and alpha - are. They tend to go around not saying what they think, not acting how the want to act, but the potential is there and when all the stars align and they reach a certain position of power, then they give themselves permission to be alpha.

If you don't want to see it as a power struggle, that is fine, because most of the time it isn't. 99% of the time, one person is BEGGING to give away his power, and the other person takes it subconsciously, perhaps not even wanting it. Both are unaware of it happening.

648262 · 2013-12-12T22:45:48+00:00

It's a relative concept. In a group there is a certain power dynamic. One person is likely to follow the other persons suggestions, for what ever reason. In one group you might be the lead, while in another you might follow.

Then we get to TRP and social dynamic theories. Here we focus on certain human traits that are considered alpha or beta. We conclude that if you enhance your natural alpha traits and condense the beta traits, then in most groups you are likely to be the leader.

Being the leader, or the alpha male of the group, has its perks. One being that girls, but actually most people, often find it attractive.

If you have mad knowledge about Pokemon and your friend is a noob, but interested in learning then in that conversation you are most likely the alpha. Later, when you two are lifting weights, he might be more knowledgable than you and you ask him for advice. This means the roles have changed in this situation.

Knowledge is power and group dynamic change. With practice you might be able to be the alpha in both situations, which is sorta one of the things TRP is about.

Makes sense?

Title	Alpha/Beta Dynamics: Does this really exist?
Author	viewers_like_you_
Upvotes	0
Comments	5
Date	December 8, 2013 10:18 AM UTC (12 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/1sdo5z/alphabeta_dynamics_does_this_really_exist/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/alphabeta-dynamics-does-this-really-exist.138563 https://theredarchive.com/post/138563

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