Evolution and the Baldwin Effect - Investigate the Baldwin effect on uncorrelated fitness functions and on correlated fitness functions at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com

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Dr JV Stone, Dr SP Wilson No more applications being accepted

About the Project

Evolution by Darwinian natural selection is the equivalent of the standard model in physics. However, for over one hundred years, controversy has raged over the extent to which the Baldwin effect contributes to biological evolution. The Baldwin effect relies on the
presence of within-lifetime adaptation to increase fitness, which may increase the rate of evolution. To a naive observer, this looks like
Lamarckism, but it is not. This project will use computational experiments to investigate the Baldwin effect on uncorrelated fitness
functions (where computational studies suggest it is of benefit) and on correlated fitness functions (where little data is available).

Funding Notes

This is one of many projects in competition for the current funding opportunities available within the Department of Psychology. Please see here for full details: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/psychology/prospectivepg/funding
Overseas students are welcome to apply for funding but must be able to demonstrate that they can fund the difference in the tuition fees.
Requirements: We ask for a minimum of a first class or high upper second-class undergraduate honours degree and a distinction or high merit at Masters level in psychology or a related discipline.

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Evolution and the Baldwin Effect - Investigate the Baldwin effect on uncorrelated fitness functions and on correlated fitness functions

University of Sheffield Department of Psychology