Genetic Drift
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
In small populations, changes in gene frequency are often not due to natural selection (who is stronger), but purely to random events (who is lucky enough not to be struck by lightning). This random fluctuation can cause good genes to be lost and bad genes to become fixed.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Random dominance in small samples. In startups or small circles, early success or culture formation is often determined by luck (drift), not survival of the fittest. Do not over-interpret 'success experiences' in small samples; they may just be surviving noise.
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In small populations, allele frequencies fluctuate from generation to generation due to random sampling error, and may even be lost, regardless of fitness. The intensity of drift is inversely proportional to population size.
MINIMUM ACTION
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_driftverified
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