About Alpha Males and Risk Taking

Interesting research finds that males, especially young ones in teenager years, compete in many subtle ways for a perceived Alpha Male position on sport teams, gangs, or in neighborhoods. One way they demonstrate their Alpha Maleness is by taking risks and doing dangerous things. Risk-takers think they are advertising their fitness to potential mates by showing off their strength and bravery. This is just a variation on the mating dance ritual that males in many species have done for eons.

The surprising results of research on such situations were reported in "Evolution and Human Behavior Journal," vol. 26, p. 171: "Men thought women would be impressed by pointless gambles, but women in fact preferred cautious men." And that makes sense because females need a live mate to help raise the offspring and not a dead hero. Intelligence is one of the characteristics of a true Alpha Male and risk-taking is a dumb thing to do for long survival.