He likes to show off his achievements and chase fame, but his thinking can be mediocre, even flawed. The alpha male, currently occupying the pinnacle of the pyramid, is commonly regarded as an “aggressive, domineering male archetype.” His sociable and outgoing attributes put him in the extroverted, or gregarious, people category.Īttracting women is thought to be an easy task for him because they naturally gravitate to him, like moths to a flame. Keep this in mind as we assess the sigma males' attributes compared to alpha males. Masculinity, also referred to as manhood or manliness, is a set of characteristics, typical behaviors, and expected roles associated with men and boys. But who is to say that some men, like those identified as sigma, aren't content with their spot on the social ladder? I dare say there are males who prefer to be a sigma over an alpha.Īlso worthy of mentioning is that masculinity appears to have something to do with the ranking system. Smack-dab in the middle of alphas and betas.įactors such as confidence, courage, responsibility, leadership ability, and hierarchical consciousness are thought to influence a man's place on the pecking order. Want to know where you rank? Below is a pyramid where the suggested 6 different types of male archetypes appear, with the sigma male ranking as #2.

Socio-sexual hierarchy is a system of grouping and ranking men into male archetypes. Needless to say, the idea of social dominance and socio-sexual hierarchies among males is as interesting as the questions about whether they are real or imaginary. The principle is applied similarly to human males and is referred to as social dominance hierarchies.Īccording to the ranking system of male personalities, the top-ranking group should have more favorable qualities than the rest. Sigma Male and the Social Dominance Hierarchyĭominance hierarchies have been used to describe animal ranking within the animal kingdom, e.g., males in the lion pride. He doesn't subscribe to the normal social dominance hierarchy construct which, by the way, some say is imaginary and arbitrarily made up. What sets him apart from the rest is his decision to walk the solitary path and color outside the lines. Once you go over their characteristics, you'll realize this particular male archetype isn't your average guy. Sigma represents a male archetype that has been in existence eons ago, but it has only recently been trending. According to Di Placido, he is “ essentially, an introverted alpha male.” Only, he's a “lone wolf.” Others opine that he is as powerful as the alpha but not subordinate as the beta male. Social commentators and members of the manosphere have different ideas of who really is the sigma male. In masculinist subcultures, the term “ sigma male” is used to describe a popular, successful, but highly independent and self-reliant man. Far-right activist and writer, Theodore Robert Beale, aka, Vox Day, is believed to be the one who first coined the term. Final Thoughts on Characteristics of a Sigma Male.25 Powerful Signs and Traits of the Sigma Male.Sigma Male and the Social Dominance Hierarchy.You can even draw your own conclusion on whether sigma males should rank #1 on the pecking order. This article intends to raise awareness of the sigma personality, first by comparing it to the alpha personality, then detailing 25 traits of sigma males.īy the time you finish reading, you'll get a clearer picture of why they're gaining recognition of late. Who was it that singled out and placed alpha males at the top of the hypothetical hierarchical pyramid, and why? More than that, the alpha male is painted as the most dominant in the social hierarchy of masculinity, and supposedly the better man. He asked, “ Are you tired of reducing masculinity into the two nonsensical, made-up categories known as “alpha” and “beta” males?”

However, it seems as if more emphasis is placed on only showcasing alpha and beta males, as if to say the sigma or other types don't count.ĭani Di Placido questioned the status quo in his Forbes Magazine article, The Pseudoscience Behind The ‘Sigma Male,’ Explained. They are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Omega, Delta, and Sigma males. You thought there were only alpha and beta males, right? Surprisingly, there are six accepted types of male personalities and are named after Greek Alphabet letters.