Why the 'alpha male' stereotype is wrong | Frans de Waal

Big and strong? That's not what makes an alpha male, says primatolgist Frans de Waal.

- The cultural notion of an alpha male as a strong, mean aggressor is rampant but wrong. The reality is more complex.

- Frans de Waal notes two types of alpha males: Bullies and leaders. In chimpanzee society, the former terrorizes the group while the latter mediates conflict.

- The reign of alpha male bullies usually ends poorly in the wild. Chimpanzee bullies get expelled or even killed by their group, while leader alphas are somewhat democratically kept in power, sometimes for as long as 12 years.

Frans de Waal is a Dutch/American biologist and primatologist. He teaches at Emory University and directs the Living Links Center for the Study of Ape and Human Evolution, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for his popular books, such as Chimpanzee Politics (1982), Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape (1997) and The Age of Empathy (2009). He has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences. His latest book is Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves (https://goo.gl/6Me8HG)

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