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domestication

📅 Updated:2026-06-30
🕒 Created:2024-10-23
🆔 ID:63792

Description

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When the core nature of a character or group is changed, especially by another character or group. This generally, though not always, means in either a way reminiscent of a tame animal, or towards a more complex, social, or civilized way of life, despite those seemingly being opposites. The crucial part is that whatever said character or group has been shaped into must now be an intrinsic part of them. Something that's a part of their identity, inherent behavior, or that they enthusiastically embrace. This means that mere roleplay doesn't count. For instance, if a character is shown acting like a pet, they must really think of themself as a pet for it to count as domestication, otherwise it's just petplay. A post with this tag must show domestication being done, reference it, or have a character that's been domesticated.
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Some Examples of Domestication:

  • A species of wild creature has been bred into easily trained pets.
  • An individual character has been made to truly consider themself a pet.
  • A race of sapients have been made to inherently desire to serve others.
  • A group whose natural mindset was more animalistic has been made more civilized.
  • A character or species's very biology has been altered to be more appealing or useful.
Important tagging notes
Has crossover with, but not the same as the taming of an individual. Not to be confused with stepfordization, which only refers to turning a character into a stereotypical homebody.
Though taming and domestication are similar, the nuance determines which tags apply. taming refers more to training or otherwise subjugating a single individual like an animal from wildness to submission.
For instance, if a man is riding seen with a dragon that willingly acts as his dutiful mount, and it's made clear that said dragon's behavior was developed on purpose among its kind, then that's an example of domestication. If a man is seen taking a wild dragon and making it his accept that it's now his mount, either by breaking the dragon's will, or through more benevolent or gentle methods such as gaining its trust, then that's an example of taming. However, if the taming results in the dragon's nature changing to the point that the dragon is now eager to be a mount, and truly embraces its new role, then that's an example of both taming and domestication.
Scientific definition
Distinct from this tag, the technical, scientific definition of domestication is the guiding of the evolution of a species towards either general compatibility or a specific purpose. Domesticated animals, such as dogs or livestock animals are obvious examples, but plants bred for specific qualities such as crop yield are also considered domesticated. Scientifically speaking, domesticated lifeforms are genetically distinct from their wild predecessors, which is why even a trained and tame true wolf is not domesticated, but Dmitry Belyavev's experiments with fox breeding has resulted in human-friendly and trainable foxes. This does not even apply specifically to human activity, as animals have been known to perform domestication, such as the leafcutter ant, which have domesticated fungi into a symbiotic mutualistic relationship.
Domestication - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See also:

  • taming: Where a character is trained like a pet to be more obedient.
  • stepfordization: A type of domestication or transformation into a house spouse stereotype.
  • uplifted: When a creature is made intelligent like a person. This can involve domestication, but more refers to gaining sapience.
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