senders must correlate alternative signals (i.e. specific signals drawn from their repertoire) with specific conditions of interest to receivers (i.e. information receivers need to know about their world) in a consistent way
What is required for communication to work
coding rules
Correlations between signals and signaler condition
- Both sender and receiver have them
The decoding rules have to include compensation due to degradation of any kind.
Ex. Signal degradation
Coding rules need to be similar, but not necessarily identical. Under what conditions would we expect them to not be identical?
Mix of plastic and heritable elements
- identical twins have similar behaviors
-Baby ducks learn who mom is and follow her.
Where do coding rules come from.
Categories of information encoded by a signal
1. Conditions of sender- self report
2. Conditions of the receiver- That the receiver did no know
3. Conditions of 3rd party
Possible conditions of sender
1. Fixed: Identity, sex, toxicity
2. Variable: Location, intended action, condition, learned skill.
Possible conditions of Receiver
2nd party presence: signal tells predator it has been located, or acknowledges presence of a conspecific
- Thompson's gazelle stouting
Pointer: indicates which receiver the next signal will be directed at
Choice: signal may indicate which of several recei
Possible conditions of 3rd party
-Detection of predator signaled to conspecific
-Quality or quantity of food, location of food, type of predator
Ex. Bees and alarm pheromones
Mixed topic signals
Carries information about several different topics
Types of mixed topic signals
-E.g. signal indicates sender's ranking relative to both sender & receiver (I'm bigger than you)
-Ownership signal sent to multiple individuals(Marking your territory)
-An antipredator signal alarms conspecifics and notifies predator it has been seen
-Fem
Is every signal honest in nature?
No. There is sometimes a conflict of interest.
What would happen if all systems were dishonest?
If the signal would ALWAYS be dishonest, the individuals still using it would be selected out, and therefore the receivers would no longer respond to the signal.
What factors enable honesty in most signal systems?
1. Index Signal
2. Handicap signal
3. Conventional signals
4. Proximity signals
5. Mutualistic signals
Index signals
1.signals are constrained sufficiently by physiology, body size, or access to information, that they are not bluffable
-Only senders with appropriate properties can produce them
Handicap Signals
signals available to all senders, but costs of production are higher (or benefits are lower) for deceitful senders than for honest senders
Conventional signals
arbitrary signals, so they lack a direct link between signal and imposed honesty
-Basically, something could lie, but lying tends to get you in more trouble than its worth.
-Eg. Melanin(associated with dominance) is cheap for House sparrow
Proximity Signals
used during aggressive encounters; these signals place sender in a vulnerable position that could make detected deceit a bad choice
Mutualistic signals
if both sender and receiver have no conflict of interest, honesty is favored by both and no guarantees are needed
Categories of the type of Signal
1. Aggressive
2. Mating
3. Social integration
4. Environmental signal
Aggression
Convey threat, opponent assessment, dominance status
Mating
Convey:
1. Attraction
2. Courtship
3. Solicitation copulation
4. Copulation/gamete release
5. Postmating announcements
Social integration
Coordinate activity
1. Parental Care
2. Foraging
3. Movement
4. Flight
4. Environmental Signals
a. food
b. location
c. predators
d. water
e. refuge
7 steps of communication
...