New research on Monday contradicted the commonly held idea that males dominate females among primates, revealing far more nuanced power dynamics in the relationships of our close relatives.

New research on Monday contradicted the commonly held idea that males dominate females among primates, revealing far more nuanced power dynamics in the relationships of our close relatives.

  • Dasus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17·
    4 days ago

    “New study says”

    The author of the original “alpha” article spend fucking decades trying to tell people he was sorely mistaken and hadn’t been observing group dynamics but family dynamics.

    • solo@piefed.socialEnglish
      13·
      4 days ago

      Just to clarify, not family dynamics, but wolves in captivity.

      Edit: What we call “wolf packs” are just families. They are loving and take care of each other. In the unnatural environment of captivity, wolfs demonstrate different and aggressive behaviors, and studying these behaviors lead to the alpha-male myth

      • Dasus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        4 days ago

        Okay that is a good point to note. Social dynamics of a family, in captivity.

        Could very well compare it to how a single family acts around the dinner table (in a certain room, specific setting, all “bound” to the table or at least the house) — in comparison to say, a large family gathering. You’d have such different social dynamics, and you would sneak off with your cousins to do shenanigans while your dads aren’t watching. Whereas at a family dinner kid would just be gloomy and play with his phone to which his dad would say something negative about phones during dinner.

        I don’t know I may have taken the metaphor too far.