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Related Concept Videos

Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations, psychological...
Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.Positive Frequency-Dependent SelectionIn positive...
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

Direct Motor Pathways

The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation
08:04

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation

Published on: August 23, 2017

The effect of active selection in human path integration.

Xiaoang Wan1, Ranxiao Frances Wang, James A Crowell

  • 1Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. wanxa@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn

Journal of Vision
|October 2, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Active selection does not improve path integration (the brain's way of tracking location). Even when participants chose their path, their ability to return to the start point showed no enhancement, suggesting limitations lie elsewhere.

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MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions
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MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions

Published on: May 10, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation
08:04

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation

Published on: August 23, 2017

MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions
09:46

MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions

Published on: May 10, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Spatial navigation

Background:

  • Path integration is crucial for estimating position and orientation.
  • Understanding factors influencing path integration accuracy is key to spatial cognition research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if active path selection enhances path integration performance.
  • To determine if voluntary control over path structure improves homing accuracy.

Main Methods:

  • A virtual reality homing task was employed.
  • Participants actively or passively experienced outbound paths with visual optic flow and sensory turn information.
  • Two experiments varied the degree of active path selection (free vs. forced).

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in homing performance was observed between active and passive groups.
  • Active selection of the path structure did not facilitate path integration or improve homing accuracy.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests that active choice in path structure does not enhance human path integration abilities.
  • Limitations in human path integration are likely not due to the passive nature of experiencing a path.