Two terms used throughout the need discussions are defined below:

Need Conflicts: Within a particular dimension some needs conflict with each other because they evoke incompatible behavior if they are expressed synchronically (simultaneously). For example, the aggression and nurturance needs evoke incompatible behavior in all three dimensions. Needs that conflict in a particular dimension are located in opposite areas of that dimension (see Target Model) indicating that they are not normally activated synchronically in that dimension.

Mal Adaptive Need Fusion: Needs that normally produce conflicting behavior when synchronically evoked in a particular dimension are sometimes combined or fused despite resulting conflicts. Mal adaptive fusion creates frustrations and problems. For example, in the combative dimension, when the aggression and succorance needs are synchronically activated, the fused behavioral expression may take the form of whining and complaining that does not effectively express either the aggression need or the succorance need.

The Dominance Need
(The need to assert leadership and act in a commanding and persuasive way)

When people assert authority, control, or power they are asserting dominance. When they govern, regulate, direct, guide, advise, determine, decide, dictate, dispose of, and "pull strings", they are asserting dominance. The PIT definition of dominance includes the words "commanding" and "persuasive" to encompass a broad spectrum of controlling and influencing behavior.

A person may assert dominance consciously or unconsciously and those who are dominated may or may not be aware that they are being influenced or controlled. A person who acts with decisiveness and assurance may influence others whether any one is aware of it or not.

There are different styles or ways of asserting dominance. There are combative leaders who use raw power to drive or force people to submit to their rule. There are leaders who create and collect disciples who follow their leader willingly because of their admiration, affection, and loyalty. There are leaders who are followed because their competence, skill, and knowledge have won them respect and positions of authority and recognition. In a study of male corporation executives, Maccoby describes four types of business leaders. The craftsman holds a position of leadership based on technical competence. The organization man has a religious dedication to his or her organization and is rewarded for this single-minded devotion by being promoted to executive status (though not usually to the top echelon). Jungle fighters claw and fight their way to the top, using any combative tactics necessary to gain power. The gamesman (The Gamesman is the title of Maccoby's book) is a strong competitor who perceives the corporate world as a sports arena. Gamesmen play hard to win but they play by the rules.

James Burns, in a book called "Leadership", analyzes dominant behavior from a motivational perspective. He observes that leaders and followers form an interactive system. Leaders and followers must adapt to each other, making reciprocal adjustments until a viable relationship is formed. A dictator, for example, can only establish power when a significant portion of the population is willing to be subjugated or until all opposition is eliminated and the remaining population is too fearful to resist. In a democratic society, leaders must recognize and articulate the conscious and unconscious needs of the population and raise expectations that these goals can best be attained under their leadership. Followers, in turn, shape the behavior of the leader by approval and rejection until they perceive the leader as having the values and aspirations they hold. There have been historical occasions when, in the course of political development, a leader whose "time has come" is selected. This is a person who has been rejected or overlooked by the population under previous conditions but whose views and personality seem to fit new and radically different circumstances. Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle are examples from the World War II era. Thus, from Burns' point-of-view, dominance is always asserted in a dynamic interactive social context.

There are several common types of social systems that have a leader-follower structure. A simple but rather rare structure is the train model in which the members are linked together in a linear way and the "engine" pulls or pushes each member by its linkage to the adjoining member. The well-known pecking order of chickens would seem to fall in this category although pecking orders are seldom completely linear or chain-like. The chain model is more applicable to mechanical phenomena than to social structures.

A variation of the chain model is the V formation seen in the flight of geese and some military plane formations. In the V model, the leader is at the point of the V. The V model enables the leader to communicate directly to each member better than the linear train model. Like the train model, the advantages of the V model have more to do with mechanics and physics than with social organization (the V model keeps the members out of each other's way). The hub is another model in which all members can be controlled by a central power but which allows little direct communication between the "spokes" or members.

For complex social organizations, the hierarchy is perhaps the most common model. The military, clergy, government, corporations, and educational institutions all utilize a hierarchical structure. Hierarchies have a pyramidal structure with the dominant figure at the peak and graded ranks arranged below at successive levels. Each level may be controlled by a dominant figure who is, in turn, subordinate to higher level authority.

The Function of the Dominance Need

The function of the dominance need is to organize and direct people so that the energy and power of individuals can be channeled and concentrated to attain a common goal. Power organized and used in this way creates order. Power dispersed or divided among individuals with no unifying principle or directing force produces disorder and chaos.

A symphony orchestra before and during a concert may be used to illustrate the function of the dominance motive. Before the concert the musicians are acting individually with little to unify and direct them. They may tune up individually or talk to one another in scattered groups. The effect is one of disorder and cacophony. As the concert gets ready to start, however, the conductor enters, assumes a central dominant position, taps his baton to communicate an order to get ready, and starts the concert. The individual musicians are now organized under the direction and control of the conductor. They also have the composer's music which has been planned and charted to organize, direct, and coordinate their efforts. The result is order and harmony.

Problems Related to the Dominance Need

The dominance need can be used to assert power for undesirable as well as desirable goals. The most common problems related to the dominance need result from over-assertion or inappropriate assertion of the need. People who are "bossy" and tyrannical assert dominance in an inappropriate combative way. Because the assertion of dominance limits the autonomy of others it tends to be resisted. The "know-it-all" who unrealistically thinks of himself or herself as an authority on everything arouses antagonism in others. People who overestimate their power and competence have undesirable social behavior ranging from mild authoritarian behavior to delusions of grandeur. Such behavior provokes rebellion and is vulnerable to rejection and ridicule with resultant ego deflation and loss of self-esteem. The grandiose manic or paranoid may suddenly sink into abject depression and feelings of impotence. Often the person who inappropriately attempts to dominate the lives of others cannot govern, regulate, discipline, or control their own life.

Problems stemming from a failure to appropriately assert dominance may be as serious, though less obvious, as those resulting from over-assertion of dominance. Through dominance we organize and direct our power toward the attainment of goals. A person who does not or can not assert some degree of dominance is limited in the kinds of goals they can attain. Effective assertion of dominance begins with the self as when we discipline ourselves and "make" ourselves do the things necessary to achieve goals and create order in our lives. Inability to assert direction and control over our own lives leaves us vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Inability or unwillingness to assert dominance leads some people to resort to "Walter Mitty" lives in which they substitute autistic fantasy for real goal striving.

Another problem connected with the dominance need results from attempts to disguise or conceal desires to influence and control others. For example, dominance is sometimes concealed under the guise of nurturance. Nurturance is expressed by helping others do what they want to do. Dominance is asserted by trying to make others do what we want them to do. A parent may offer to "help" a child go to bed when the parent's real motive is to make the child go to bed. The child often senses the disguised motives and develops passive-aggressive tactics to deal with this deception. The dominance need may also be concealed by other needs such as deference (flattery), affiliation (false friendliness to win friends and influence people), etc. Concealed forms of dominance produce deviousness, duplicity, and phoniness in personal relations.

Dimension Locations of the Dominance Need

The dominance need is normally located in the combative area of the combative dimension. In the combative dimension, dominance is imposed on others through the use of power. Thus, the combative needs (aggression, defendance, rejection) are closely associated with the dominance need in the combative area to provide supportive power. In turn a position of dominance is necessary to effectively assert power. Dominance has a different role in the competitive dimension where the assertion of dominance is based on knowledge, skill, and ability.

In the personal dimension, the dominance need is normally located in the impersonal area. Dominance is inappropriate in personal-social interactions where people are supposed to relate to each other on equal terms or in supportive rather than dominant ways. When assertions of dominance create a problem in personal-social relationships, the issue should be resolved in the impersonal area where it is mediated by rational controls supplied by the understanding, order, and achievement needs.

The dominance need is normally located in the competitive area of the competitive dimension. The desire to attain a position of authority provides strong motivation for competitive striving. As stated above, in the competitive dimension, the attainment of dominance is based on competence and ability whereas in the combative dimension dominance is based on power.

Dominance Dislocated in the Noncombative Area of the Combative Dimension

When the dominance need is dislocated in the noncombative area the ability to effectively assert power and leadership is weakened. In the noncombative area, the dominance need is combined with an array of needs that moderate and inhibit its expression. For example, it is contradictory to try to assert dominance by being submissive (deference need). In the noncombative area, the dominance need is apt to maladaptively fuse with inhibitive needs and be expressed in disguised, passive-aggressive ways.

Dominance Located Too Near the Periphery in the Combative Area of the Combative Dimension

When the dominance need is located too peripherally (relative to other needs) in the combative area it is strongly but infrequently asserted. It is too far removed to have close support from the combative needs (aggression, rejection, defendance) which is necessary for the effective assertion of dominance through power.

Dominance Dislocated in the Personal-Social Area of the Personal-Social Dimension

When the dominance need is dislocated in the personal-social area, it has a disturbing effect on personal-social relationships. It either conflicts with personal needs (creating tensions and discord) or it maladaptively fuses with personal needs producing domineering behavior poorly disguised as benevolence and camaraderie. The dislocation of the dominance need in the personal-social area also removes it from its normal location in the impersonal area where it is moderated and controlled by the rational needs (understanding, order, achievement). In the impersonal area, personal conflicts over dominance and control can be resolved objectively and rationally.

Dominance Located Too Near the Periphery in the Impersonal Area of the Personal Dimension

If the dominance need is located too peripherally relative to other needs in the impersonal area it is extremely oppositional personal-social needs so that the person tends to withdraw completely from personal interactions when their need to dominate is active. In this extreme location, the dominance need is too far removed from the rational needs (understanding, order, achievement) to be modified and controlled by these needs when efforts are made to impersonally resolve personal-social problems.

Dominance Dislocated in the Noncompetitive Area of the Competitive Dimension

When the dominance need is dislocated in the noncompetitive area a very important form of competitive motivation is lost to the individual. The person may not attempt to compete if leadership responsibilities are involved. In the noncompetitive area, the dominance need may be asserted to avoid competition rather than to engage in it.

Dominance Located Too Near the Periphery in the Competitive Area of the Competitive Dimension

When the dominance need is located too peripherally relative to other needs in the competitive area, it is a very powerful but rarely activated source of motivation for competitive efforts. In such an extreme location, the dominance need may not be adequately tempered by some of the personal and rational needs located at more basic levels in the competitive area. As a result, when the person does assert competitive dominance, it may be in a rather extreme and "domineering" way.