Dominant group vs minority group

Answer 1

Majority means it is major, so there's more. Minority means it's minor, meaning there's less.

Answer 2

The definitions vary based on the context. The majority is often the largest group, but not always. Power is another determining factor. For instance, prior to the Apartheid of South Africa, 15% of the population made up the majority in terms of power and influence. That tends to defy logic, since it seems the largest group would have the most power, but that is not always the case.

Women are another example. If there are no selective abortions nor selective conception methods, then females would naturally outnumber males. So they should be around 51% of the population unless measures are taken to skew that. Yet, the concept of matriarchy as opposed to patriarchy is mostly unheard of. So a slightly larger group with considerably less influence.

Then there are likely behavioral differences between people who feel like members of minority groups and those who don't. Now, we have to be careful how we say this, since the idea is to explain the social dynamic itself, not judge anyone. Victim thinking might be more common among anyone who feels like they are part of a smaller group, since they may feel their lack of power and feel they must do what it takes to persuade members of the larger group to be sympathetic or give them what they want. The more oppressed they feel, the more tactics they may try. But members of the larger group might not even think of the smaller group, except when their paths cross. And the behaviors adopted by the smaller group to try to gain more power or cooperation might ironically alienate members of the larger group.

A television episode made the point that any group could become marginalized. They deliberately treated guests with one eye color poorly, and gave the other preferential treatment. Before long, dynamics similar to racism appeared. They even had an "expert" to give false scientific data saying that people with the certain eye color were not as intellectually developed. Then when the audience members were allowed to speak, the resentment between the two groups became apparent. Those with the favored eye color were saying those with the other eye color complained all the time, couldn't be satisfied, deserved to be mistreated, etc. Those with the unfavored eye color were saying it wasn't fair how they were treated while waiting for the show to start. Then the guest made it clear that there was no such study done, that everyone there were equals, and that it was the situation that set them up to appear unequal.