Kneeling

Kneeling is a basic human position where one or both knees touch the ground. According to Merriam-Webster, kneeling is defined as "to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor". Kneeling with only one knee, and not both, is called genuflection. Kneeling is a primate behavior used to convey deference by making the figure that is kneeling appear smaller than the other. Primates themselves establish a dominance hierarchy (or "pecking order") which is important to the survival and behavior of the group. Chimpanzees, for example, have a complex social group that involves a dominant male and a corresponding female, to whom the other males and the juvenile chimps are submissive. Males who threaten the hierarchy are often severely injured or killed; in some instances, the use of submissive behavior is necessary to ensure survival.