What is a Beta Male Personality?

Have you seen or heard someone refer to you or someone else as a beta male? The term “beta” refers to a social construct that uses Greek letters to group men into categories that may be overly rigid or oversimplified. Beta males tend to be stereotyped as less successful or weaker than other men—however, there are tons of benefits to being labeled a “beta male.” In this article, we’ll explain what a beta male is, what their characteristics are, and what the difference is between beta males and other male archetypes.

Meaning of “Beta Male”

A beta male is a person who’s seen as less masculine or dominant than other men. Beta males are kind, respectful, good-natured, and approachable. They focus on pleasing others above all else and can make great friends, partners, and coworkers.

Section 1 of 9:

What is a “beta male”?

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A beta male is a more passive, emotional, and reserved person. Beta males tend to be traditionally subservient and focus on pleasing others instead of dominating them.^{[1]
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Research source} They’re the friendly and welcoming men in the group who are always eager to lend a kind ear or a helping hand.
- The traits associated with beta males tend to be more traditionally feminine, which people who use this term as an insult might believe makes them weaker.
- In the animal kingdom, “beta male” refers to a male who is the second-most dominant in the social hierarchy.^{[2]
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  Research source} These terms were never meant to categorize humans.

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Beta Male Characteristics

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Friendly and respectful Beta males are the kind of guys who smile at you in the hallway, bring donuts to the company function, and encourage everyone in the room to share their ideas.^{[3]
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Research source} They take care of themselves, aren’t afraid to express their emotions, and make great friends and employees.^{[4]
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- Beta males also tend to be very family-oriented, doing everything in their power to make their loved ones happy.^{[5]
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- In leadership roles, beta males aren’t interested in dominating others and prefer to use encouragement and motivation to make strides.^{[6]
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Approachable and sociable People tend to gravitate towards beta males because they’re easy-going, welcoming, and pleasant to be around.^{[7]
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Research source} Beta males know who they are and accept you for who you are.^{[8]
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- However, because of the negative, emasculating traits often associated with beta males, they may also feel insecure in their relationships or jobs and seek validation from others.^{[9]
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Reserved and sensitive Beta males tend to be the most introverted male archetype. They’re typically more shy than others and try to avoid confrontation, preferring to make others happy and keep out of the spotlight.^{[10]
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- Beta males also might be less confident sharing their opinions because they fear conflict.^{[11]
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Despite what the stereotype says, beta males tend to be more successful in the workforce because they don’t hinder progress, intimidate other employees, or put their success over the company’s. On top of that, beta males are smart, capable, and make great long-term employees or relationship partners.^{[12]
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Whether you need someone to cover your shift, listen to your issues, or grab something you forgot at home, beta males are always there for you.^{[13]
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Section 3 of 9:

Beta Male vs. Alpha Male

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Alpha males are more powerful, aggressive, and dominant. Alpha males are the confident, charismatic, goal-driven, and aggressive ones in the crowd.^{[15]
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Research source} Male archetypes tend to place alpha males at the top because they’re believed to be dominant, while beta males are lower because they’re more submissive and people-focused.^{[16]
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- Alphas tend to have strong ambitions, make decisions, and lead others, while betas are more likely to follow others and less likely to share their ideas.
- Beta males are also less likely to be intimated by the success of others, especially women.^{[17]
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Section 4 of 9:

Beta Male vs. Sigma Male

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Sigma males are more independent and mysterious than beta males. While beta males are friendly, open, and value tradition and stability, sigma males are lone wolves guided by their own inner wisdom. Sigma males aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo and carve their own path.^{[18]
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- On the other hand, beta males are always ready to listen and support others and often try to uphold a solid foundation that’s needed for growth.

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Beta Male vs. Omega Male

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Omega males are more self-assured and driven than beta males. Unlike beta males, omega males are highly self-aware and confident. They focus on their ambitions, seeking success in their own way. Beta males, on the other hand, tend to be less confident in their abilities and put others’ happiness above their own goals.^{[19]
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- Omega and beta males often fit the “nerd” or “geek” stereotype because of their high intelligence and their love of technical or niche interests.^{[20]
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Section 6 of 9:

Benefits of Being a Beta Male

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Beta males might thrive in cooperative settings. Because of their agreeable nature and their value of other people’s opinions, beta males often succeed in teams and other collaborative groups. In both relationships and careers, beta males are team players who are always thinking about the bigger picture.^{[21]
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- In leadership roles, beta males often foster an inclusive and supportive environment where all team members feel appreciated and heard.
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Beta men are highly attuned to the emotions of others. Beta males are often compassionate and empathetic, valuing connection and understanding above all else.^{[22]
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Research source} They have a deep need to heal others and maintain harmony in their relationships, encouraging love and emotional security.
- Beta males tend to “wear their heart on their sleeve” and communicate openly when something upsets or hurts them.
Beta men tend to focus on tangible goals and what steps they can take immediately to move toward them. While they might not be as aggressive about their ambitions as other archetypes, beta males translate their ideas to reality in a way that works with the people around them.^{[23]
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Section 7 of 9:

Drawbacks of Being a Beta Male

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Beta men may be more afraid to take risks. Because beta males often bloom where they’re planted, they might find it difficult to go outside their comfort zone. Even when they’re not satisfied with their job, relationships, or habits, they might be so afraid of failure that they avoid taking risks and changing their life for the better.^{[24]
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- Change is part of life. Beta males can learn to navigate it by focusing on what they can control, relying on friends and family, and reflecting on times when they’ve successfully dealt with change.^{[25]
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- Beta males can learn to take risks by focusing on baby steps. Start with small risks, like buying a new shirt or applying for a new job, then go from there.^{[26]
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Beta males may be more insecure than other men. Because of the emasculating, feminine stereotypes associated with beta males, they may feel less secure in their relationships and careers.^{[27]
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Research source} Beta males might constantly compare themselves to others, focusing on their positive qualities and their own flaws.^{[28]
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- It may help to write down self-critical thoughts and look at them as an enemy instead of as truth. When you hear yourself repeating these thoughts, try to reframe them.^{[29]
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- You might write, “I’ll never be as successful as Jimmy.” If you have that thought again, you may say, “This isn’t a competition. I’ve put in a lot of work and done my best.”^{[30]
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Other people might see beta males as weak or “too nice.” Although kind, stable, successful men are valued, the “nice guys finish last” trope can make beta males look lesser than other male archetypes. Because of this, beta males might feel like they’re more of a safety net than a direct competitor, both in relationships and at work.^{[31]
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- Beta males may benefit from focusing on building their self-confidence instead of getting caught in these harmful stereotypes.^{[32]
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- Because beta males might feel like they have to say “yes” to other people (even when they don’t want to), it may help to practice saying “no” to small requests to gain more self-confidence.^{[33]
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Section 8 of 9:

Do women like beta males?

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Women like beta males because they’re sympathetic and successful. Modern women tend to want intelligent men who share in their success and enjoy success of their own. Beta males aren’t intimated by women’s achievements and embrace emotions over dominance, making them great partners and loving spouses.^{[34]
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- The idea that alpha men are more desirable than beta men changed when women fought for rights and equality—since then, women don’t need a man to take care of them.
- Alpha males are also often pictured as “ladies men” who can go after as many women as they want. However, women don’t get any economic or biological benefits from this.

Section 9 of 9:

Keeping Perspective

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Male archetypes like “beta male” tend to be oversimplified. Human personalities are super complex and multifaceted. While these archetypes may reveal aspects of behavioral patterns, they were never meant to categorize humans.^{[35]
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Research source} It’s okay to identify with these terms, but forcing yourself to fit the label can be harmful to your mental health and well-being.
- The concept of these male archetypes tends to include misogynistic ideas that can be harmful to people of all genders.^{[36]
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- Terms like “beta” are also often used in memes to make fun of the entire archetype system or to poke fun at men who other people see as less successful.^{[37]
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- These ideas are also overtly heterosexual and don’t take people of differing genders and sexualities into account.

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Beta males from TV shows include Chandler Bing (Friends), Phil Dunphy (Modern Family), Ben Wyatt (Parks & Recreation), and Eric Foreman (That ‘70s Show).^{[38]
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Beta males have their own set of strengths and abilities that make them valuable friends, coworkers, and members of society.

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