Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Impact of Groups on Individuals

Impact of Groups on Individuals

Groups play a fundamental role in shaping individual behavior, as they establish norms that guide interactions and decision-making. Social psychology examines how individuals conform to group expectations, often adjusting their attitudes and actions to align with group norms. These norms can be formal, such as workplace policies, or informal, such as unspoken social expectations within a fraternity.Conformity and Social InfluenceConformity arises when individuals modify their behaviors or...

Impact of Groups on Groups

Impact of Groups on Groups

Social psychologists analyze how groups influence one another, shaping social structures and interactions through both cooperation and competition. These dynamics manifest in various ways, ranging from economic partnerships to intergroup conflicts that shape societal structures and perceptions.Cooperation and Competition in Intergroup RelationsIntergroup relationships vary across contexts, sometimes fostering cooperation and mutual benefit while at other times leading to conflict and...

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...

Impact of Individuals on a Group

Impact of Individuals on a Group

In social psychology, the interplay between individuals and groups is a central concern, particularly regarding how individual actions and characteristics influence group processes and outcomes. While much research emphasizes the group's power in shaping individual behavior, it is equally significant to understand how individuals contribute to the functioning, development, and success of groups.Individual Roles in Group Productivity and Decision-MakingIndividuals are not passive participants in...

Inclusive Fitness

Inclusive Fitness

Most altruistic behavior—in which one animal helps another at a cost to themselves—occurs between relatives. Scientists think these altruistic behaviors evolved because they increase the inclusive fitness of the animal providing help.

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).Mechanisms of Genetic VariationThe original sources of genetic variation are mutations,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A comparison of alternative vaccination strategies for protecting those vulnerable to illness, hospitalization, or death upon infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Same author

The adaptive plasticity of temperate phage <i>λ</i>.

Virus evolution·2026

Same author

Social cues drive the evolution of plastic pathogen virulence in spatially and temporally variable environments.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Persistence and near persistence via trait evolution: Pathways to coexistence.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Same author

Democratising Artificial Intelligence for Pandemic Preparedness and Global Governance in Latin American and Caribbean Countries.

Microbial biotechnology·2025

Same author

Mixed evidence for intralocus sexual conflict from male-limited selection in Drosophila melanogaster.

The Journal of heredity·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

Evolution in structured populations: beyond the kin versus group debate.

Sébastien Lion¹, Vincent A A Jansen, Troy Day

¹School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, United Kingdom. lion@cefe.cnrs.fr

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

|March 1, 2011

Summary

The debate on kin versus group selection in social evolution often conflates biological interpretation with mathematical methods. Clarifying this distinction within structured populations is key to advancing the field.

More Related Videos

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Published on: August 22, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Published on: August 22, 2018

Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Social evolution theory
Population genetics

Background:

The field of social evolution is dominated by the kin selection versus group selection debate.
This long-standing discussion often merges the biological interpretation of evolutionary processes with the mathematical models used to describe them.
Existing frameworks may overlook crucial interactions between genetic and demographic population structures.

Purpose of the Study:

To distinguish between the biological interpretation and mathematical methodology in social evolution.
To re-contextualize the kin selection/group selection debate within the broader framework of evolution in structured populations.
To identify overlooked aspects of genetic and demographic structuring in evolutionary studies.

Main Methods:

Literature review and synthesis.
Conceptual analysis of social evolution theories.
Examination of population structuring in evolutionary models.

Main Results:

The traditional kin selection vs. group selection debate conflates biological reality with mathematical formalism.
Evolution in structured populations offers a more comprehensive framework than the dichotomy of kin or group selection.
Key aspects of genetic and demographic structuring are often overlooked in current discussions.

Conclusions:

Moving beyond the kin selection/group selection dichotomy is essential for progress in social evolution.
A focus on evolution in structured populations, considering both genetic and demographic factors, provides a more robust understanding.
The field should shift its attention from debating selection types to exploring the complexities of population structure.