The use of "alpha" and "omega" to describe the animals at the extremes of dominance hierarchies was common in describing bird and rodent social structures in 1942. Here's an article by Allee in 1942 describing social hierarchies based on decades of previous research, much of it his own.
Group Organization among Vertebrates, W. C. Allee , Science, Vol. 95, No. 2464 (Mar. 20, 1942), pp. 289-293 ���the alpha cock ��� would charge [the other cock] and drive him to the roosts whenever [the other cock] approached.��� The same article refers to a description of an alpha mouse. Before 1942, Yerkes studied dominance and sexual relations in chimpanzees and one of the animals was named "Alpha" (a female who was not consistently dominant), although I don't think Yerkes used the term alpha to describe the dominant animal. In fact, I believe both Yerkes and Carpenter were of the mind that primate social structures rarely had a single consistent "alpha" animal. On the other hand, Yerkes believed that evolution had handed the dominant role largely to the male gender. Bill Scott >>> "David Kreiner" <krei...@ucmo.edu> 08/28/09 10:47 AM >>> Stephen, first the good news. I was able to access the full text of Carpenter (1942). The bad news: no use of the term "alpha male." David Kreiner Professor of Psychology University of Central Missouri Lovinger 1111 Warrensburg MO 64093 krei...@ucmo.edu --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
