In Calhoun's experiments, rodent populations were kept in artificial, small environments with otherwise ideal conditions and unlimited food supply. īehavioral sinks in Calhoun's experiments are thought to have been caused by evolutionary mismatches caused by overpopulation or the relaxation of natural selection in these 'utopian' conditions inevitably leading to the build-up of deleterious mutations among the mice that ultimately had the effect of reducing both group and individual fitness (see social epistasis amplification model).ĭescription of the experiments He claimed the ensuing physiological strain this harsh competition for limited social roles put on the mice subjected to these conditions resulted in the emergence of "autistic-like creatures, capable only of the most simple behaviours compatible with physiological survival", eventually leading to the "breakdown of all normal social behavior", with this often resulting in the auto-extinction of the rodent colonies in question.
Rat utopia universe 25 series#
Ĭalhoun conducted a series of experiments with mice and rats which are called mice/rats utopia or paradise, some of which resulted in such population collapses.Ĭalhoun's explanation for the outcome of his experiments was that overpopulation leads to social hierarchies where there was more demand for social roles than could be reasonably filled. Calhoun, referring to an abrupt population collapse in extremely mild environments.
The behavioral sink is a term coined by American behavioral researcher John B. Calhoun in one of his experimental colonies
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