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

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

399
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...
399
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

1.1K
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...
1.1K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

35.6K
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.
35.6K
Functionalism01:11

Functionalism

2.8K
William James, John Dewey, and Charles Sanders Peirce were instrumental in founding functional psychology, which draws heavily from Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. This theory suggests that individual traits, including behaviors, are adapted to their environments through natural selection. At the heart of functionalism is the concept of adaptation, meaning that a trait enhances an individual's chances of survival and reproduction.
James envisioned psychology's...
2.8K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

131.0K
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.
131.0K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

48.9K
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.
48.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

B.F. Skinner and the Metaphysics of Darwinism.

Perspectives on behavior science·2020
Same author

Can Intelligence Gradually Evolve in a Shell?

Trends in ecology & evolution·2019
Same author

The Suitability of Fishes as Models for Studying Appetitive Behavior in Vertebrates.

Results and problems in cell differentiation·2018
Same author

THE ADAPTIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF GASTROPOD TORSION.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2017
Same author

Volatile secondary metabolites as aposematic olfactory signals and defensive weapons in aquatic environments.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2017
Same author

Homology, convergence and parallelism.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2015
Same journal

Accounting for recombination rate variation improves inference of barrier loci and reveals the role of both natural and sexual selection in an incipient bird radiation.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
Same journal

Linking fluvial barriers and habitat specialization in the evolution of microendemism in riverine fishes.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
Same journal

Mutation rate variation as the neutral byproduct of developmental and life history diversification.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
Same journal

Superorganismal Anisogamy: A Comparative Test of an Extended Theory.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
Same journal

The role of microbial resource mutualists in plant adaptation to abiotic environments.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
Same journal

Museum genomics links MC1R alleles to adaptive winter coat color polymorphism in the long-tailed weasel.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Perspectives on Neuroscience
26:41

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

5.4K

PERSPECTIVE: DARWIN, PROGRESS, AND ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES.

Michael T Ghiselin1

  • 1Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Center for the History and Philosophy of Science, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, 94118.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|June 2, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Charles Darwin viewed evolutionary progress economically, likening adaptation accumulation to technological innovation. This perspective clarifies his theories on evolution, Malthus, and modern biological and economic syntheses.

Keywords:
Adaptive radiationDarwinMalthuscompetitiondivision of laboreconomicsnatural selectionprogress

More Related Videos

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

19.5K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Engineering – Harnessing Evolution Through PRANCE and Lab Automation
05:08

Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Engineering – Harnessing Evolution Through PRANCE and Lab Automation

Published on: January 12, 2024

2.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Perspectives on Neuroscience
26:41

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

5.4K
Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

19.5K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Engineering – Harnessing Evolution Through PRANCE and Lab Automation
05:08

Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Engineering – Harnessing Evolution Through PRANCE and Lab Automation

Published on: January 12, 2024

2.3K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Economic Theory
  • History of Science

Background:

  • Charles Darwin's concept of progress is often debated.
  • Understanding Darwin's views requires examining his influences and theoretical framework.
  • Reinterpreting progress through an economic lens offers new insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze Darwin's concept of progress as fundamentally economic.
  • To elucidate Darwin's divergence from Lamarck and alignment with Malthus.
  • To demonstrate the consistency of Darwin's ideas with modern evolutionary and economic theories.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of Darwin's writings.
  • Comparative analysis of evolutionary theories (Darwin vs. Lamarck).
  • Examination of Darwin's relationship with Malthusian thought.

Main Results:

  • Darwin's concept of progress is analogous to economic accumulation and technological innovation.
  • This economic interpretation resolves apparent contradictions in Darwin's work.
  • Darwin's ideas align with modern concepts like biotic invasions and evolutionary trends.

Conclusions:

  • Darwin's theory of evolution possesses a strong economic undercurrent.
  • Viewing progress economically enhances understanding of evolutionary mechanisms.
  • This interpretation supports interdisciplinary approaches synthesizing biology and economics.