Frequency-Dependent Selection
Natural selection where fitness depends on how common or rare a trait is in the population. Negative frequency dependence favors rare types; positive frequency dependence favors common types.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 4 chapters:
"...rise 300% - LTV/CAC ratio collapses from 8:1 to 2:1 - Result: The "optimal" patch becomes depleted through competition The Evolutionary Insight: Frequency-dependent selection In biology, a strategy's success depends on how common it is in the population. Rare strategies often outperform common ones because they exploit un..."
"...fficient!) If mimics get 3% success for 10% effort: - Cost per offspring: 3.3× average (most efficient!) Why don't all males become satellites? Frequency-dependent selection. Satellite strategy only works when most males are independents defending territories. If >50% become satellites, no territories exist to exploit."
"...g taller costs energy (maintaining additional trunk mass, pumping water higher). The benefit (slightly more light) doesn't justify the cost. This is frequency-dependent selection: The optimal strategy (the resource allocation pattern determining fitness) depends on what others are doing."
"Newt toxicity and snake resistance reach limits imposed by metabolic costs and physiological constraints. - Frequency-dependent selection: Rare strategies have advantages, preventing fixation. In host-parasite systems, rare host genotypes escape parasitism (parasites haven't adapted t..."
Biological Context
Predators often focus on common prey types, giving rare color morphs an advantage (negative frequency dependence). Scale-eating fish alternate which side they attack from, maintaining left and right morphs at equal frequencies. This maintains genetic diversity that would otherwise be lost.
Business Application
Business frequency dependence: contrarian strategies succeed when everyone follows the same playbook. When markets crowd into popular strategies, uncommon approaches gain advantage.