selectie

Selectie is the act or process of choosing from a set of options based on defined criteria. In Dutch, the term is used across many fields to describe deliberate filtering or screening, from natural phenomena to human decisions and technical procedures. The word derives from Latin selectio, meaning choosing carefully.

In biology, natuurlijke selectie (natural selection) explains how advantageous heritable traits become more common over generations as organisms survive and reproduce. Kunstmatige selectie (artificial selection) is directed by humans, as in breeding plants or domestic animals to emphasize certain traits. In genetics and ecology, selectie concepts are discussed in terms of selection pressure and fitness.

In human resources and education, selectie refers to the process of identifying suitable candidates for a job, program, or prize. A typical selectieproces includes posting vacancies, screening applications, conducting interviews and tests, checking references, and making a final decision. Criteria, fairness, and legal considerations are important aspects of this context.

In data science and statistics, selectie can involve sample selection and related biases (selectiebias) that arise from non-random inclusion of data. It also appears in model selection and feature selection, where a subset of variables or models is chosen to improve predictive performance and efficiency.

In sports and arts, selectie denotes the selection of teams, squads, or competitors, and is often accompanied by trials or juries. In computing, selection methods or algorithms are used to pick items, such as in sorting, filtering, or optimization tasks.