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 depends on what others are doing. If everyone is 30 meters, growing to 31 meters helps."
"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.