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Reaction Norms and Tokens

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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science
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Synonyms

Genotype; Occurrence; Phenotype; Phenotypic and genotypic plasticity

Definition

The range of environments that one phenotype has adapted to as a result of a genotype. Individual organisms or features that represent one type or the other are referred to as tokens.

Introduction

Organisms that are capable of adapting to their environment and reproducing successfully are selected over others that fail to do so. Adaptability or plasticity of an organism’s inherited features, from an evolutionary perspective, would grant opportunities for the organism to travel and live across more diverse environments to obtain resources essential for survival and reproduction. Evolutionary scientists recognize these ideas as reaction norms and tokens, which are responsible for the genetic and physical outcomes for all life forms, including humans.

Distinguishing Genotype and Phenotype from Reaction Norms

Each and every living specimen can be classified into groups based from its heritable...

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Correspondence to Lauren Smith .

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Smith, L., Holler, R. (2018). Reaction Norms and Tokens. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_416-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_416-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

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