An
alternative is said to be dominant with respect to a second alternative whenever one or more of the
consequences of the first are superior (i.e., preferred according to some
criterion ) to the corresponding consequences of the second, and all others are equally valued. (IIASA)
A
relation between pairs of elements of a set which designates which is superior, preferred to or in
control of which other. E.g., hierarchies (
see hierarchy ) in social organizations, a "pecking order" which is characteristic in most communities of social animals, food chains in
ecology, all of which can be described by dominance relations. (
Krippendorff )
