• Psychology, Medicine
• Published in Animal Behaviour 1998
• DOI:10.1006/anbe.1998.0748

Reliable signalling need not be a handicap

@article{Getty1998ReliableSN,
  title={Reliable signalling need not be a handicap},
  author={Thomas Getty},
  journal={Animal Behaviour},
  year={1998},
  volume={56},
  pages={253-255}
}

• Thomas Getty

The handicap principle is an important pillar in our understanding of animal communication (Wiley 1994; Ryan 1997; Zahavi & Zahavi 1997). The handicap concept comes from a sports analogy: ‘The investment that animals make in signals is similar to the ‘‘handicaps’’ imposed on the stronger contestants in a game or sporting event’ (Zahavi & Zahavi 1997, page XIV). The concept suggests that ‘conspicuous waste’ is essential to reliable signalling. ’The Handicap Principle is a very simple idea: waste… CONTINUE READING

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