When Group Selection and Individual Selection are Opposed, Which of the Following

Question

When group selection and individual selection are opposed, which of the following occurs?
A) Group selection prevails if groups are large and there is little migration.
B) Individual selection prevails.
C) Group selection usually prevails because the conditions for individual selection are too stringent.
D) Group selection never prevails.

Accepted Answer

When group selection and individual selection are opposed, individual selection usually prevails because natural selection acts directly on the individual level. Group selection can only occur if there is strong selection pressure at the group level, which is rare. Additionally, individuals within a population can vary in their traits and fitness, and those with higher fitness will pass on their traits to their offspring. Therefore, individuals are more likely to be selected than entire groups.