creators_name: Kamo, Masashi
creators_name: Ghirlanda, Stefano
creators_name: Enquist, Magnus
type: journalp
datestamp: 2006-12-08
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:56:43
metadata_visibility: show
title: The evolution of signal form: Effects of learned versus inherited recognition
ispublished: pub
subjects: bio-etho
subjects: bio-ani-cog
subjects: bio-evo
subjects: comp-sci-neural-nets
subjects: bio-theory
subjects: bio-ani-behav
full_text_status: public
keywords: animal behavior, neural networks, communication, game theory, 
abstract: Organisms can learn by individual experience to recognize relevant stimuli
in the environment or they can genetically inherit this ability from their
parents. Here, we ask how these two modes of acquisition affect signal evolution, focusing in particular on the exaggeration and cost of signals. We argue first, that faster learning by individual receivers cannot be a driving force for the evolution of exaggerated and costly signals unless signal senders are related or the same receiver and sender meet repeatedly. We argue instead that biases in receivers’ recognition mechanisms can promote the evolution of costly exaggeration in signals. We provide support for this hypothesis by simulating coevolution between senders and receivers, using artificial neural networks as a model of receivers’ recognition mechanisms. We analyse the joint effects of receiver biases, signal cost and mode of acquisition, investigating the circumstances under which learned recognition gives rise to more exaggerated signals than inherited recognition. We conclude the paper by discussing the relevance of our results to a number of biological scenarios.
date: 2003
date_type: published
publication: Proceedings of the Royal Society
volume: B269
pagerange: 1765-17711
refereed: TRUE
citation:   Kamo, Masashi and Ghirlanda, Stefano and Enquist, Magnus  (2003) The evolution of signal form: Effects of learned versus inherited recognition.  [Journal (Paginated)]     
document_url: http://cogprints.org/5280/1/kamo_ghirlanda_enquist2002.pdf