Those who have dominance issues often target the same people, whether they're male or female.
Dominance issues and behaviors are very common in humans. They're used for social ranking, for control of situations and outcomes, and for control over other individuals.
If a person's displays of dominance are convincing enough, others around them will buy into it and give them higher social status, allowing them to be a "Leader", regardless of their actual experience, knowledge, or ability.
Having "dominance issues" is more like having a need to feel dominant, which translates to both a compulsion to be dominant over others (specific individuals or animals), and to avoid feeling submissive or subordinate, especially to those whom one seeks to feel dominant over.
Many humans, both male and female, for example, feel an entitlement of domination (control and superiority) toward any person smaller than they are, and also toward most (or all) females.
Even if they will willingly FOLLOW the lead of certain people, they feel entitled to automatically be the Leader toward other certain people, at all times, and regardless of the situation.
Entitlement to Dominance toward another person means entitlement to NEVER "have to" do anything that implies equal cooperation, respect, following, consideration, or assisting them without being 'in charge'.
Entitlement to Dominance over another person means they feel that they NEVER "have to" listen to them, cooperate with them, or do anything they say or ask, and that choosing to do that is going far out of their way, as if it's an imposition.
Also, that the other person is somehow innately bound to allow them to Lead, to be the Dominant one, and to always be seen as "right" in any situation, no matter what is happening.
If a person who feels entitled to Domination over another person is not being given full "cooperation" (subordination) by the other person, they will quite often experience rage. The actual situation, and "who's right" or "who's wrong" is almost always given as an excuse for the meltdown, but the real reason is simply that they felt CHALLENGED by an apparent "subordinate".
It occurs often that a person who has dominance issues does not display any signs of it with another person for a long time, often because the person has not actually done anything to "challenge" their "authority" (dominance). A meltdown can seem to occur out of the blue, but really, it just hadn't come up yet. There was nothing that felt like a challenge, nothing that felt like they were not being obeyed, or allowed to lead, or allowed to be "right".
It's common for those who have dominance issues to also stack others into hierarchy positions. So they will put one person "over" another person in this hierarchy; for example they may put their own father "over" their mother, or their mother "over" their spouse, or one friend "over" another friend, etc. Whoever they "follow", they expect others to "follow" also, in a subordinate manner.
A flag for this is the level of anger or upset a person shows when they feel "challenged" in any way. Are they slightly disappointed or frustrated, or are they actually mad, angry, extremely upset, or in a rage? Do they reject or rage at some people who don't agree with them, or who don't allow them to always be the leader? Do they seem to hate those or wish harm on those who "challenge" them?
What is the level of their reaction to not being allowed to always lead, or to be right?
How do they react to someone else being a Leader, either in formal situations, or even in conversation ~ especially when the person is smaller, or is female, or is of a different ancestry, or is a romantic partner?
Those with Dominance entitlement or compulsion will have no problem trying to publicly humiliate, raging at, or rejecting a person who refuses to allow them to dominate them; even a person who simply seeks an equanimous relationship, regardless of what the relationship is. They don't want a cooperative, equal relationship, they want entitlement to dominance over the other person; they want the other person to be their subordinate.
Since it's an internal issue, not a consciously planned action, they will do it in a business setting as well as social situations, and in personal relationships.
Dominance issues can of course be worked on, but the person would have to actually want to do it. Most people who have them mistake it for confidence and leadership, so they think it's an asset. They may fear that without it, they'll lose their leadership abilities, which of course is not true, but they don't know that.
Many others believe that they deserve to feel that way (dominant) because they believe they're "right", or that they're actually superior.
Dominance issues and behaviors are very common in humans. They're used for social ranking, for control of situations and outcomes, and for control over other individuals.
If a person's displays of dominance are convincing enough, others around them will buy into it and give them higher social status, allowing them to be a "Leader", regardless of their actual experience, knowledge, or ability.
Having "dominance issues" is more like having a need to feel dominant, which translates to both a compulsion to be dominant over others (specific individuals or animals), and to avoid feeling submissive or subordinate, especially to those whom one seeks to feel dominant over.
Many humans, both male and female, for example, feel an entitlement of domination (control and superiority) toward any person smaller than they are, and also toward most (or all) females.
Even if they will willingly FOLLOW the lead of certain people, they feel entitled to automatically be the Leader toward other certain people, at all times, and regardless of the situation.
Entitlement to Dominance toward another person means entitlement to NEVER "have to" do anything that implies equal cooperation, respect, following, consideration, or assisting them without being 'in charge'.
Entitlement to Dominance over another person means they feel that they NEVER "have to" listen to them, cooperate with them, or do anything they say or ask, and that choosing to do that is going far out of their way, as if it's an imposition.
Also, that the other person is somehow innately bound to allow them to Lead, to be the Dominant one, and to always be seen as "right" in any situation, no matter what is happening.
If a person who feels entitled to Domination over another person is not being given full "cooperation" (subordination) by the other person, they will quite often experience rage. The actual situation, and "who's right" or "who's wrong" is almost always given as an excuse for the meltdown, but the real reason is simply that they felt CHALLENGED by an apparent "subordinate".
It occurs often that a person who has dominance issues does not display any signs of it with another person for a long time, often because the person has not actually done anything to "challenge" their "authority" (dominance). A meltdown can seem to occur out of the blue, but really, it just hadn't come up yet. There was nothing that felt like a challenge, nothing that felt like they were not being obeyed, or allowed to lead, or allowed to be "right".
It's common for those who have dominance issues to also stack others into hierarchy positions. So they will put one person "over" another person in this hierarchy; for example they may put their own father "over" their mother, or their mother "over" their spouse, or one friend "over" another friend, etc. Whoever they "follow", they expect others to "follow" also, in a subordinate manner.
A flag for this is the level of anger or upset a person shows when they feel "challenged" in any way. Are they slightly disappointed or frustrated, or are they actually mad, angry, extremely upset, or in a rage? Do they reject or rage at some people who don't agree with them, or who don't allow them to always be the leader? Do they seem to hate those or wish harm on those who "challenge" them?
What is the level of their reaction to not being allowed to always lead, or to be right?
How do they react to someone else being a Leader, either in formal situations, or even in conversation ~ especially when the person is smaller, or is female, or is of a different ancestry, or is a romantic partner?
Those with Dominance entitlement or compulsion will have no problem trying to publicly humiliate, raging at, or rejecting a person who refuses to allow them to dominate them; even a person who simply seeks an equanimous relationship, regardless of what the relationship is. They don't want a cooperative, equal relationship, they want entitlement to dominance over the other person; they want the other person to be their subordinate.
Since it's an internal issue, not a consciously planned action, they will do it in a business setting as well as social situations, and in personal relationships.
Dominance issues can of course be worked on, but the person would have to actually want to do it. Most people who have them mistake it for confidence and leadership, so they think it's an asset. They may fear that without it, they'll lose their leadership abilities, which of course is not true, but they don't know that.
Many others believe that they deserve to feel that way (dominant) because they believe they're "right", or that they're actually superior.
