In animal behavior, the set of relationships within a group of animals, usually established and maintained by aggression, in which one individual has precedence over all others in eating, mating, and other activities.

A social order developed by animals that live in groups by which certain individuals are understood to have a certain status or rank, and this determines their access to resources and how they exert power over others.

a survival mechanism designed to prevent violent encounters that could lead to serious injury of one or both animals of the same species

a social order of dominance sustained by aggressive or other behavior patterns

A social structure among a group of animals in which one is dominant and the others have subordinate nonbreeding positions.

A social pattern among animal species where there are recognized individual differences in power, influence, and access to resources and mating. Found in many primate species.

A dominance hierarchy or social hierarchy is an organizational form by which individuals within a community control the distribution of resources within the community. Dominance hierarchies are formed when a group of individuals belonging to the same species share a territory.