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Frequency-dependent Selection

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.

Types of Selection

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...

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).

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Diploid organisms have two alleles of each gene, one from each parent, in their somatic cells. Therefore, each individual contributes two alleles to the gene pool of the population. The gene pool of a population is the sum of every allele of all genes within that population and has some degree of variation. Genetic variation is typically expressed as a relative frequency, which is the percentage of the total population that has a given allele, genotype or phenotype.

Microbial Growth Measurement: Indirect Methods

Microbial Growth Measurement: Indirect Methods

Estimating microbial growth is essential for understanding population dynamics and environmental adaptations. Indirect methods provide valuable insights by measuring parameters such as turbidity, metabolic activity, and biomass, enabling efficient and reproducible assessments.During exponential growth, microbial cells scatter light proportionally to their biomass, a principle used in turbidity measurements. About one million cells per milliliter produce detectable scattering, which a...

Genetic Drift

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.

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

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Measuring frequency-dependent selection in culture.

Mitchell G Newberry^1,2, Joshua B Plotkin³

¹Center for the Study of Complex Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. mgnew@umich.edu.

Nature Human Behaviour

|May 31, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cultural traits like baby names and dog breeds are shaped by frequency-dependent selection. This study quantifies how social pressures to conform or be unique influence cultural evolution.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary dynamics
Cultural evolution
Quantitative social science

Background:

The frequency of a cultural trait can influence its adoption and spread.
Understanding frequency-dependent selection is key to explaining cultural diversity patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and apply a maximum-likelihood method for measuring frequency-dependent selection from time series data.
To analyze the influence of social pressures on cultural traits using baby names and dog breed preferences.

Main Methods:

Maximum-likelihood estimation applied to time series data.
Analysis of cultural trait frequencies over the past century.
Cross-cultural replication of findings in the US, France, Norway, and the Netherlands.

Main Results:

Negative frequency dependence explains diversity patterns in baby names across multiple countries.
Differential innovation rates influence male versus female name trends.
Biblical names exhibit a consistent selective advantage, explaining their prevalence.
Novelty preference drives boom-bust fads in dog breed popularity.

Conclusions:

Frequency-dependent selection is a significant driver of cultural evolution.
Social pressures to conform and differentiate shape cultural landscapes.
The developed method provides a quantitative framework for studying cultural dynamics.