By Halle Rider
You are probably aware, especially if you have any idea of the workings of the animal kingdom, that alpha males are the ones who attract the females, and who compete fiercely with other males. The alpha usually wins, meaning that the chances of the other males getting the females is far more unlikely with the alpha around. In the animal world, either you’re an alpha male or… you’re not. It’s that simple.
But, for better or worse, things are slightly different in the human world – human alpha males aren’t always the ones who get the females as they don’t necessarily reflect the woman’s ideals – not these days anyway. For humans, there are a variety of personality types that you can imbibe to determine your masculinity as a male.
Sure, alpha males still have that reputation for being desirable with their tough, rugged and stereotypically manly exteriors, but these days its other personality types, or a combination of them that attract women. Interestingly, some men adapt and evolve their personality type as they age and gain more life experience as their goals and needs change.
So, let’s start by looking at the six, yes six – male personality types. Do you identify with any of these?
1
Alpha male
We will begin with the most obvious one. The main qualities we identify in an alpha male is that they are very self-confident, outgoing, assertive and direct. These are the kind of men synonymous with the ‘bad boy’ type – stereotypically masculine, exuding so much confidence they often border on arrogant, with a bit of aggression thrown in for good measure. He knows he can get any woman he wants and has quite a big ego – and he doesn’t take kindly to being proven wrong!
2
Beta male
Ah, the beta male. The typical ‘nice guy’. He’s the collaborative, caring, loyal introverted type who avoids risk and confrontation. He doesn’t have a ton of confidence, charisma or even physical presence – but he is kind, caring, reliable and isn’t afraid of commitment.
Pretty much totally opposite to the alpha male, he’s sensitive and much less aggressive – but far more grounded. He’s dependable, likeable and takes criticism pretty well. Beta males tend to have a reserved nature as they are introverts, but unfortunately their niceness means they can be taken advantage of. Women prefer beta males to alphas for a life partner – they may not be as exciting as the alpha, but they are less likely to break her heart. Women love to be friends with a beta male, as they do make for excellent friends as well as life partners.
3
Omega male
Have you ever seen a Ben Stiller movie? He’s the perfect example of the omega male. Eccentric, nerdy and very laid back, the omega male acts like he doesn’t have a care in the world and can sometimes be seen as a little lazy. Omega males tend to be kind of immature, irresponsible, and don’t usually have a lot of ambition. These types of men are known to have a high level of intelligence, but they are not known to make use of it, instead preferring to play video games, watch dumb movies, or collect things like comic books.
Whereas the alpha male wants to dominate, and the beta male just wants to keep his head down and get by in life without any fuss, the omega male has either opted out, doesn’t care, or totally given up on being either.
4
Gamma male
The gamma male is quite an interesting character, being thought of as comprising of a little bit of every other personality type. The gamma male is adventurous and creates his own path in life regardless of other people’s opinions, enjoying learning and having new experiences like the sigma male.
He is independent, choosing for the most part to do and act as he pleases – but unlike the sigma male he is also quite eager to gain the affection, respect and admiration of others.
Interestingly, it is believed that an alpha male can transform into a gamma male when he starts to become more aware and conscious of his actions and consequences. This is what allows the gamma male to be both so well liked as well as independent.
The gamma male is thought to be the most level-headed and grounded of all the male personality types.
5
The delta male
The delta male is a bit trickier to understand. He is a man who has experienced trauma in his life which made him reserved, slow to trust new people and he often gives off a vibe of not caring. Due to his difficult past, he often harbours resentment towards people, and will be quick to blame others for his problems and shortcomings.
By blaming others for his own issues, the delta male is a good example of a self-saboteur. He will self-sabotage his life and future by thinking that there is nothing that he can do to better himself. He is manipulative or lies to get what he wants, which makes it difficult for other people to trust him or even want to be around him at all.
Once upon a time he may have had a ton of friends and been the life and soul of the party, but his troubled past has turned him into someone who lacks self-control, full of resentment and hate.
6
The sigma male
Now we come to our sixth personality type, the one that is the most popular – the sigma male. If you’re going to be any personality type, this is probably the one you hope to be, and probably the reason you clicked on this article. The sigma male has all the positive traits of the alpha male – the confidence, the self-assurance, the ambition and the popularity – but without the huge ego, aggression, and need for validation from others.
He can socialise just fine and can manipulate and adapt to situations as and when needed, even taking on leadership roles if he wants to – but he has no interest in the opinions of others and is more than happy to be on his own. He isn’t afraid to play by his own rules, and he comes across as both exciting and likeable. He is calculated and cunning, taking his time to listen to others and respond carefully so he doesn’t make a fool of himself or say something he will later regret.
He lives his life with intention – a thirst for knowledge and gaining new skills, as well as seeking out new experiences and adventure – but on his own. People find him to be intelligent and funny, with a quick wit and a great sense of humour. He doesn’t need a partner in his life, but his mystery and willingness to break the rules attracts the females in droves – but that’s not his goal in life, just a happy bonus!
Every personality type, from the alpha to the sigma are unique in their own way, and each type will determine how a man acts and behaves in social and business environments.
Many men claim to be a sigma male, but the truth is that the elusive sigma male is the rarest of them all. But who believes in these archetypes anyway?
Sigma males, along with gamma, delta and omegas, have only recently started to gain recognition as personality types. For a long time, things were believed to be pretty much black and white, with males being categorised into either that of an alpha, or a beta.
A sigma male typically has traits from both main types, especially alpha, but is also very different in his own right. Sigma males are typically harder to read for many people, especially as the fact that mainstream psychology has boxed men into alpha vs beta for such a long time.
But once people start to understand the sigma, they will see how they are independent thinkers, and lone wolves rather than being in a ‘pack’ like an alpha. They’re good listeners whilst being able to state their opinions eloquently and in a considered fashion, and they’re disassociated from many of the social conventions, hierarchies and rules that other personality types will live their lives by. The sigma male doesn’t seek to lead nor follow but is comfortable in either position if he must be, plus he’s usually a good judge of character, abstaining from immediate judgement of others.
The Alpha male Vs the Sigma male
Now we’ve clarified the six male personality types, we’re now going to talk about the similarities and differences between the gamma male and their counterpart, the alpha male.
In a nutshell, they are both equally confident in who they are, what they want, and both tend to be highly successful with women. The main difference lies in their attitude:
- Alpha males like to maintain their position at the top of the social hierarchy, but sigma males don’t give a monkeys about this, and choose instead to sit outside of it. Alpha males achieve their success by focusing on climbing that social ladder, but sigmas do everything on their own – they don’t want, or in fact need to belong to any tribe or social group whatsoever.
- Alpha males demand attention and validation, often putting importance on the clothes they wear and the things they have – but sigmas do not rely on anyone else to validate them, neither do they need materialistic things to make them feel like they’ve achieved something in life. They know that the validation and approval of others and of ‘things’ don’t substitute their self-worth – they wear what they want, do as they please, and their motto in life is basically ‘you do you.’
- As they don’t feel the need to share their personal information or boast about their achievements or dreams on social media like alphas often do, they keep their passions private, which can give the impression that they are secretive or even a little cagey. The truth is, it just takes a lot of time to get to know a sigma male – they don’t open up to just anyone as they need ego boosts like they need a hole in the head.
- The priorities of an alpha male include picking up attractive women, getting ahead in their careers and earning a lot of money, following fashion trends, and being super outgoing, loud and oftentimes, brash. They tend to be quite entitled and the alpha prefers having beta males around him that he can dominate and show who is boss.
- In comparison, the sigma male doesn’t care about any of that. He is just as powerful as the alpha male when he wants to be, he can pick up the same attractive women, but doesn’t particularly care to do so, especially if it gets in the way of his life goals and ambitions – his priorities are totally different to that of the alpha male.
- In terms of power, alphas are more powerful when it comes to property, money and possessions, but sigmas are more powerful with their social independence, intellect, and ability to adapt to different social groups and situations.
It is believed that it is childhood which shapes the personality type of an individual, and that a sigma male typically comes from a more difficult background or challenging upbringing; perhaps having suffered a lot of hurt and rejection in his life, as opposed to an alpha who is more likely to have had a more positive childhood.
Those formative years of a child’s life has a huge impact on whether a male will go on to typically develop beta or omega traits; but if he develops a natural internal confidence at the same time, it is believed that is what creates a sigma male instead of a beta or omega. The idea is that a sigma could have become an alpha male if his childhood had been more nurturing.
Of course, this isn’t always the case, but it’s a popular theory.
Benefits and disadvantages of being a sigma male
So now we’ve covered the similarities and differences between alpha and sigma males, lets now talk about the pros and cons of living the sigma male lifestyle.
There are many benefits to being a sigma male as we’ve already outlined. Here are three of the best advantages for walking through life as a sigma male.
- Freedom. This is for sure one of the best and most important aspects of a sigma males’ lifestyle. Not carrying the burden of what other people think is incredibly freeing and allows the sigma male to live his life on his own terms, and to move through life just as he likes – physically, mentally, and emotionally. This is usually the number one thing that sigma males care about most.
- Attraction. Not that they care that much, especially if it gets in the way of their freedom of course, but women are automatically drawn to a sigma male due to their mysterious nature and willingness to walk away – this is attractive because it shows a man is confident with who he is and likes himself enough to be happy with his own company. There’s nothing more off putting than a needy, desperate man with low self-esteem.
- Efficiency. A sigma male isn’t bound to the usual trappings of cultural norms and societal pressures, which makes him live so much more efficiently as he doesn’t feel the need to waste time and money on anything that doesn’t serve his own interests, personal goals or plans. If there’s nothing in it for him, then he won’t bother. Not caring about the judgements and opinions of others also allows him to be 100% genuine and authentic, as he sees no need in trying to win the approval or validation of anyone except himself. Sounds like he’s on to something there.
Alright, there seems to be so many advantages to being a sigma male, which we guess is why it seems almost every man is claiming to be or wanting to be one – but what are the drawbacks to being a sigma male – if there even are any?
Well, of course, there are always some disadvantages, and that goes for any personality type. Sigma males face challenges just like anyone else. A couple of these include:
- No tribe. The number one downside to being a sigma is the fact that they don’t have a tribe. While it’s great that sigma males can be so independent and live life alone for the most part, acting as a social butterfly, flitting from social group to social group as and when they need to – sometimes there are benefits that come with having a close social network – including friendship, safety and security, and having people to look after you when you need care. So ironically, the best thing about being sigma male can also be one of the worst things – he is alone. This explains why many men live their young adult life as wanderers, living the lone wolf lifestyle, but as they get older, they may transition to living a more socially connected lifestyle with a good, consistent support network.
- Personal growth and acceptance can be difficult. Learning to grow into yourself can be a difficult experience for anyone at the best of times, especially during your younger years. Being a rarer and unique type of male to others in society, sigma males can spend a long time struggling to understand just why they are so dissimilar to everyone else and must endure living in a society that isn’t always kind to those who are different. Therefore, many sigma males live through their teenage and early adult years feeling depressed, bullied, alienated and alone.
But then that just begs the question – were these men already on the paths to becoming sigma males? Or did those difficult experiences early on in life help create the sigma male, and encourage him to walk away from the social hierarchy? Even though there are differing opinions on this point, it’s probably a mixture of both nature (their genetics), and nurture – the experiences that the male has gone through in his life that determines the type of personality he becomes later in life. Studies show that victims of bullying and / or abuse are far more likely to carry emotional scars and wounds from these experiences into adulthood. This doesn’t necessarily mean that if one is a sigma male then he is so because he’s gone through these types of traumatic experiences – but it is a widely accepted theory that for pretty much every single person on earth, the experiences we have in our younger years impact who we become and ultimately how we behave in adulthood.
Famous sigma males
So those were the advantages or disadvantages of being a sigma male – did any of them surprise you? Now we’re going to give you some examples of well-known and famous sigma males. There are many examples of famous people throughout history and even fictional characters who are considered to have the personality type of a sigma male. You may have heard of these men, but did you know they were sigmas?
Keanu Reeves. Did you know he is considered to be a sigma male? He’s most well known for his role in the movie The Matrix, yet little is known about his personal life – he is mysterious and secretive, even as a well -known celebrity. He is also dating a woman for unknown reasons he’s never disclosed to the public, and she is surprisingly close to his age. Surprising because being Keanu Reeves, he could get any younger woman or supermodel he wanted, as he is often compared with Leonardo DiCaprio – considered to be an alpha male and who acts quite differently in that regard. Being a sigma male, Keanu reeves chooses to do things differently, that go against what is expected of him, even though he could have the same thing as the alpha male does. Strong enough to be an alpha male but choosing to pave his own way through life. In a Hollywood world populated by alpha males, Keanu Reeves is quite refreshing, and so obviously sigma.
As a master chameleon, being able to get along with people from all layers of the social hierarchy, Bruce Lee is another example of a sigma male. Sigmas have the ability to adapt to any situation, and even act like the herd when it comes to it, while at the same time without becoming part of the herd, if that makes sense. When he was alive, Bruce Lee embodied just that. His philosophy was to ‘be like water’ – being adaptable in any circumstance and being able to manipulate people and situations to your advantage, just like he was able to.
Steve Jobs. Surely you know who he is! As the co-founder of Apple Inc, he was considered an extremely intelligent and charismatic pioneer of the personal computer generation. Steve made his name launching some of the most popular and innovative products of our time including the Apple iPhone, iPod and iMac. He was well-known for his brilliance and visionary leadership, but also for his free spirit, determination, and creativity. Many sigma males are technologically minded and incredibly creative just like Steve.
Can you guess which industry is one of the most sigma male dominated? That’s right – technology.
For these sigma males turned tech pros, their main priority is being able to use their creativity, not to make a fortune – but happily for them, working in this industry does come with some serious financial perks as well.
Now we’ve talked about some famous real sigma males, here are some examples of fictional characters who can be presumed to be sigma male personalities. You know the Doctor from Doctor Who? Yes, even that famous character from the popular British sci-fi television show that follows his adventures – The Doctor himself is considered a sigma male as he ticks all the right boxes! Think about it… he isn’t tied into any particular social hierarchy or group. Sometimes he has companions, for a time, but also has a habit of moving on and walking away when the time comes.
He certainly knows what it means to wander through life alone, considering, well, that he’s a timelord who regenerates every time he kicks the bucket! Not surprising then that he outlasts all the people who get close to him and doesn’t have any issue walking away from them.
He prioritises his life’s work over everything else, totally obsessed by his missions and goals, and he’s the definition of mysterious and intriguing! A true sigma male.
Jason Bourne from the Bourne movies is another great character example of the sigma male. He’s clearly uncomfortable being part of any sort of social hierarchy, and always focuses his missions on meeting his own goals before anything else. He does get into a relationship of sorts with another sigma personality, and they stay together for mutual benefit. He also shows signs of the classic sigma male by the fact that he just wants to be left alone to get on with his own stuff. If it wasn’t for the fact that the agency he is obliged to work for pursues and harasses him to take on more missions, he would happily fade away never to be heard from again.
Did you ever see the Clint Eastwood film A fistful of Dollars? Clint Eastwoods’ character in that movie, Joe, was such a sigma male. He rides his horse into a town that is full of established alpha males plus a few Mexican gangs – and ends up being able to manipulate them all to play them off against each other. Just another day in the office for a sigma male!
Now, you probably have seen or heard of the film X-Men, and probably know of the character wolverine? Well, he’s the drifter living in the cabin in the woods, quite happily doing his own thing, rocking up into the town close by now and then to make a bit of money and drink whiskey.
There’s some debate about whether he is sigma or omega, but we think sigma. What do you think? Let us know in the comment section!
Sigma male test
So, with that being said, as promised, we’ve put together a test for you to determine if you might be a sigma male yourself. As sigma males are quite a rare personality type, finding out if you’re a sigma male is a bit more complicated than it sounds. But there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help determine if you are a true sigma male, are one in the making, or just a wannabe. So, without further ado, here are 11 questions you can ask yourself to find out!
Are you an introvert?
Simply having an introverted personality doesn’t necessarily make you a sigma male, but they do process everything internally – they don’t like to talk to others about their problems or issues until they’ve worked everything through in their own minds first. Do you usually work things out on your own before talking to anyone? If you do, it could be a sign you’re a sigma male.
Do you always plan ahead?
If you’re a sigma male, you tend to plan everything through meticulously. Whether it’s meeting friends, doing business or going on vacation, you’ll be planning everything you possibly can – the itinerary, time frames, costs; down to every detail. This is the main reason that sigma males are so successful in jobs that require planning and a high level of organisation. Are you the planner in your group of friends? If so, then you might be a sigma.
Are you more intrigued by deep and meaningful conversation or small talk?
Being a sigma male, you don’t really care for conversations that don’t have much substance. You’re a man of few words, but the words you do say will be of great significance – you’re not interested in talking about mundane things like the weather or what you had for breakfast, preferring instead to engage in deep conversations that are more meaningful.
Do you choose morals over success by any means necessary?
When problem solving or aiming for a specific target, what rules do you enforce to get to your end goal? If you’re a sigma male, morals are of high importance. Unlike other personality types, you won’t just do whatever it takes to get to the desired result if it means jeopardising your morals and values.
Are you efficient?
If you are a very efficient person, this is a strong indication you lean towards a sigma male personality. Sigma males not only have a penchant for meticulous planning, but they also ensure that they get everything done to a professional standard in a timely fashion with fantastic attention to detail.
If you’re working in a group and they are being a little slow, you’ll be quick to take the reins and lead the group with your fantastic leadership.
The more you prepare, the more efficiently you can get things done, so if you’re a sigma male great at planning, you’ll also be great at efficiency and leading a group (when you absolutely have to, of course).
Do you think your way is the right way?
Do you tend to have a specific way of working that you consider to be ‘the right way?’ If so, you could be a sigma male. More than any other personality type, sigmas have very particular methods they use to get a job done and will often take over if they notice other people working in an inefficient way. His methods tend to be more well planned and logical, but this personality trait can sometimes be a little irritating to others – even though they can’t deny that the sigmas way IS better.
Are you quick to offer solutions or emotional support to your friends when they need it?
A trait that sets sigmas apart from others, is that when a person close to them is in crisis, a sigma male will be quick to offer possible solutions or advice on how to feel better instead of simply being a shoulder to cry on. If you are a sigma male, rather than allowing your friend to rant and vent to you about their problems, you try to quickly think of solutions to make their worries disappear. Sometimes this might rub your friends up the wrong way as it can come across as insensitive, but really, they just don’t really understand where you’re coming from.
Does this sound familiar to you? You could be a sigma male.
Do you feel like you can’t be yourself around new people?
Sigma males tend to be totally different people when they’re around strangers as opposed to with their friends. With good friends, they feel at ease, like they can show who they really are, they can be goofy and mess around. But with strangers, they’re polite, but more reserved as they don’t feel particularly comfortable to open up to people, they don’t know that well.
Would your friends describe you in a completely different way to the way a stranger or acquaintance would? You’re probably a sigma.
Are you regularly trying to improve yourself?
It’s easy for most people to answer yes to this question but answer it honestly. If you’re a true sigma male, you will constantly be working on your perceived inadequacies or areas you think you’re lacking in. Sigma males will always reflect on things that they didn’t do well, or that didn’t go according to plan so next time they are better prepared and less likely to make the same mistakes.
Are you frustrated by society’s obsession with the Alpha male?
Of course, as we’ve mentioned, there are tons of similarities between the alpha and the sigma. But for the sigma, the idea of being classed as an alpha is about as appealing as a snake in a salad spinner.
If you roll your eyes at the idea of forming a tribe and climbing the social ladder, much preferring to go your own way – then it’s highly likely that you, my friend, are a sigma male.
Do you enjoy being alone – but really?
If you’re an extroverted, outgoing person who enjoys social situations, and even finding yourself energised by being in large groups of people, then you’re most likely NOT a sigma. However, if you find your energy drains quite quickly when you’re around lots of people, and regain energy by being alone, preferring solitude and doing your own thing, then this is a sign that you ARE, in fact, a sigma male.
It’s important to mention that even though it sounds like sigma males are always introverted, this isn’t always the case, and the differences are far more nuanced that that.
If you prefer to be alone with your thoughts, work alone on your own projects or engage in activities by yourself, even just sitting down to read a good book then you could be a sigma male. But these are traits that can manifest themselves in introverts, extroverts, or ambiverts alike.
Do you constantly have the urge to go against the grain?
Do you find yourself getting irritated when people follow popular trends for the sake of it, or feel the need to go against what is expected of you, sometimes just because? If you answer yes to both, then you can probably assume you’re a one-of-a-kind authentic sigma male!
So, in conclusion, the sigma male is a fascinating example of the male personality, and supposedly, the rarest one of all.
So, do you think you are a true sigma male? Or perhaps an Alpha, beta, gamma, omega or delta male? And ultimately, does it even really matter? If you are living true to yourself and striving to become the best version of yourself that you can possibly be then that’s the most important thing.
