Definition
The extended phenotype is how genes influence the world outside the body — artefacts, niches, and behaviours that persist the replicator’s strategy.
Origin
Dawkins (1982/extended popularization in The Selfish Gene) — selection acts on effects beyond skin boundary.
Mechanism
Your ecosystem (tools, built environment, social roles) can be read as extended phenotype expression — changing the field changes what “you” can do without moralizing character.
Applications
When rebuilding environment, ask which structures were inherited strategies versus chosen design. Pair Ecosystem.
Sources
Cite
- The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press.