The Adaptationist Program

The Adaptationist Program is an approach in evolutionary biology that seeks to understand biological traits by assuming they have developed primarily because they offer some advantage for survival or reproduction. It examines features of organisms—such as behaviors, structures, or processes—as products of natural selection that improve an organism’s chances in its environment. This perspective treats these traits as adaptations, shaped over generations to increase fitness. While it emphasizes the role of natural selection, it recognizes that not all traits are perfectly designed; some may be byproducts or results of other evolutionary factors.