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I've heard this debunk a lot over the years, and I don't disbelieve it, but is it not the case that one or two animals (wolves or otherwise) in a group will be the "bosses" or something close to being dominant over the others? Is all of that internal power struggling we see in groups/families of animals not really what it seems? Or is the "alpha" stuff different from that? Or does it only apply to wolves, and "alphas" do exist in other animal species?
Yours, confused and uneducated,
u/58008
Different social animals have different social structures. Wolves generally live in family units, led by the parents. Wasps and gorillas have complicated group politics, with alliances, betrayals and backroom deals. Some primitive ants have a 'might is right' system, with the strongest becoming the queen and fighting off challengers. Most ants have a highly democratic system, with decisions made using chemical 'votes' (cast by the workers; drones and queens don't have a say).
The behaviour initially exhibited and observed were of wolves in captivity (think prison). Once they were observed in the wild, the theory fell apart. Caged animals act differently, just like people.
You can sorta see the alpha thingamajig in hyenas. The chick with the biggest clit gets a possy of white knights trying to please her.
But it's not obligatory. Dudes just chilling together and biting asses can still happen without a chick to lead them on.