selfdomesticated

Self-domestication is a concept used to describe the process by which a species becomes more tame or amenable to living with humans or in human-altered environments over generations, driven by natural selection acting on behavioral traits. It is distinct from the traditional understanding of domestication, where humans actively select and breed animals for desired traits. Instead, self-domestication suggests that individuals within a wild population that exhibit less fear or aggression towards humans or novel environments may have a survival or reproductive advantage in areas frequented by humans.

This selective pressure, often unintentional, can lead to a gradual reduction in fearfulness and an increase in tolerance for human presence. Over time, this can result in a population that appears tamer or more domesticated, even without direct human intervention. Examples often cited include the silver fox experiments, where selective breeding for tameness led to a suite of physical changes analogous to those seen in domesticated animals. While not always a formal scientific term, the idea of self-domestication helps explain the presence of animal populations that thrive alongside humans, sometimes exhibiting traits typically associated with domesticated species, without a clear history of intentional human breeding programs. It highlights the dynamic interplay between species and their environments, particularly in anthropogenically influenced landscapes.