Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

858
The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
858
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

516
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...
516
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

1.3K
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...
1.3K
Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

8.3K
Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
8.3K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

40.1K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
40.1K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

107.2K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
107.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Why selection for mitochondrial quality drives the evolution of sexes.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026
Same author

Selection for growth drives the emergence of genetic heredity in protocells.

PLoS biology·2026
Same author

Eukaryotic Recombinases Duplicated After Divergence From Known Asgard Archaeal RadA: Implications for the Evolution of Sex During Eukaryogenesis.

Genome biology and evolution·2025
Same author

Single-cell consequences of X-linked meiotic drive in stalk-eyed flies.

PLoS genetics·2025
Same author

The metabolic costs of meiotic drive.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2025
Same author

Locally adaptive inversions in structured populations.

Genetics·2024
Same journal

Hunting ecology predicts eye arrangements in the modular visual system of spiders.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Sub-second fluctuations between top-down and bottom-up modes distinguish diverse human brain states.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Queen bees offload pesticide burden to eggs when social buffering is overwhelmed.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Pitch selectivity in ferret auditory cortex.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

A cell size-dependent competition between geometry and polarity governs nuclear and spindle positioning in early embryos.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Trophic cascades drive sustainability in the agricultural heritage rice-fish coculture system.

Current biology : CB·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila
09:34

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila

Published on: August 22, 2013

14.2K

Evolution: sex or survival.

James Howie1, Andrew Pomiankowski, Alison J Cotton

  • 1Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.

Current Biology : CB
|December 7, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Sexual traits under strong selection usually lose genetic variation. However, in Soay sheep, a trade-off between reproduction and survival maintains variation in horn size.

More Related Videos

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
05:39

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: December 2, 2022

3.0K
Author Spotlight: Examining Volatile Sex Pheromone Influence on Male C. elegans Behavior
06:49

Author Spotlight: Examining Volatile Sex Pheromone Influence on Male C. elegans Behavior

Published on: August 9, 2024

2.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila
09:34

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila

Published on: August 22, 2013

14.2K
Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
05:39

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: December 2, 2022

3.0K
Author Spotlight: Examining Volatile Sex Pheromone Influence on Male C. elegans Behavior
06:49

Author Spotlight: Examining Volatile Sex Pheromone Influence on Male C. elegans Behavior

Published on: August 9, 2024

2.6K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Sexual selection
  • Animal behavior

Background:

  • Sexual traits often face strong directional selection, which can deplete genetic variation.
  • Understanding the maintenance of genetic variation in the face of selection is a key evolutionary paradox.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms maintaining genetic variation in sexually selected traits.
  • To examine the role of trade-offs in preserving variation in horn size in Soay sheep.

Main Methods:

  • The study focused on Soay sheep, a well-studied population known for its sexual dimorphism.
  • Researchers analyzed data on horn size, reproductive success, and survival rates.

Main Results:

  • A significant trade-off exists between reproductive success and survival in Soay sheep.
  • Horn size, a sexually selected trait, is linked to this trade-off, with different horn sizes conferring advantages in different aspects of fitness.

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest that a balance between natural and sexual selection, mediated by a survival-reproduction trade-off, maintains genetic variation in horn size.
  • This study provides a potential solution to the paradox of variation maintenance in sexual traits.