ction. This cannot be the case for two distinct reasons. First, large macromutations are considerably maladaptive for an organism. In this sense, the size of a mutation will determine whether the organism will survive and pass on the mutated gene. Larger mutations will be less likely to be selected, because they will produce large behavioral abnormalities in the organism, which will significantly impair the organism in carrying out normal species-typical behaviors for survival. In turn, the organism will probably die before it is able to successfully reproduce. In addition, some mutations that are termed macromutations are not really macromutations at all, but instead small changes in the genetic instructions that produce large changes in the individual. It has also been argued, that gradualists believe that evolution proceeds in a constant fashion. This is also a myth. Both gradualists and punctuationists believe that evolution proceeds in a somewhat jerky fashion with periods of evolutionary change being mixed with periods of stasis, or no change (Dawkins, 1986). The main point at which the two theories diverge is on the issue of stasis. Although both believe that periods of stasis do in fact occur, punctuationists take this a step further. Punctuationists argue that during periods of stasis, “There are genetic forces in large populations that actively resist evolutionary change” (Dawkins, 1986) During these periods of stasis, no evolutionary change can occur. Eventually though, after a long period of stasis, the resistant genetic forces are weakened by the forces of evolution, and a brief period of rapid evolutionary change is allowed to occur. It is also important to note, that “rapid” in terms of evolution is often misinterpreted. Even in terms of punctuationist theory, changes are really not rapid in the general sense of the term. Evolutionary changes are rapid in terms of geological standards, but by norm...
