Page "Common chimpanzee" Paragraph 30

Males maintain and improve their social ranks by forming coalitions.

These coalitions have been characterized as " exploitive " and are based on an individual ’ s influence in agonistic interactions.

Being in a coalition allows males to dominate a third individual when they could not by themselves, as politically apt chimps can exert power over aggressive interactions regardless of their rank.

Coalitions can also give an individual male the confidence to challenge a dominant male.

The more allies a male has, the better his chance of becoming dominant.

However, most changes in hierarchical rank are caused by dyadic interactions.

Chimpanzee alliances can be very fickle and one member may turn on another if it serves him.