Communication

Communication

1. What is communication? Gestures through eyes, face, hands, body language, language.

2. Darwin; The expression of animals in man and animals- when behaviour occurs there is inevitably a form of mind (thinking or feeling) being expressed. No real focus on communication or cognition.

3. How do we communicate? language- only we can do. Its intentional, we want to achieve things when using language, Human psychology often concerned with intentionality. Whats the purpose? Other things we do unintentionally- i.e. facial expression in certain social situations. Some of us have more control over these than others, Some is involuntary.

4. How do we know if communication is intentional. interesting question, But not necessary to understand communication. Whats important is whether the receiver understood it? not why it happened whether intentional or not. forget about intentionality.

5. Communication; the process in which actors use specially designed signals or displays to modify the behaviour of reactors (Krebs & Davies 1993). Animal behaviour/ behavioural ecology mainly concerned with how/why signals evolve (and used evolution as theoretical framework), so specially designed signals or displays mean designed by evolution. Actors produce signal- signal given- recipient response/reacts. Communication; the process in which actors use specially designed signals or displays to modify the behaviour of reactors (Krebs & Davies, 1993)

6. The questions are; why have communicative signals evolved? What function do they serve? How have communicative signals evolved?

7. Ecological constraints; the environment constraints which modalities (type of signal) are useful. Dominant modality for us;seeing. The visual cortex is large compared to others, Physical contact is important for social bonds. CommunicaBve modality depends on ecology in ant species (Holldobler, 1977).

8. Ecological Constraints; Leptothorax spp. feed on large dead beetles that need two ants to carry... • Go back to nest and recruit another ant by regurgitaBon (+ CHEMICAL SIGNAL), Lead helper to food site by ‘tandem running’ (antennae rest on abdomen) (TACTILE). Fire ants (Solenopsis spp.), Feed on large mobile prey (insects), Need several other ants to carry, Leave scent trail (CHEMICAL) to and from the moving prey, Disperses quickly, so trail keeps up with the insect. Leaf cuier ants (AAa spp.), Permanent patches of food (vegetation), Long-lasBng scents (CHEMICAL), Paths through vegetaBon (VISUAL). Waser & Waser (1977), Grey-cheeked mangabey, East African primate, Whoop-gobble used between groups, Scream used within group, Same amplitude (volume), Different frequencies – whoop- gobble lower frequency which travels further. signal type depends on NEED and FUNCTION.

9. Receiver constraints; The senses of the RECEIVER also constrain the evoluBon of the signal (receiver psychology – Guilford & Dawkins, 1993). Rabbits have big ears look out for each other from predators. Evolved to all have them otherwise would be useless. Dogs = good sense of smell. And produce that to match what friends can pick up Signals evolve from existing behaviours. If behaviour exists, you can shape communication based on that behaviour and tap into receivers senses. Understand how it has happened because receivers can predict what's going to happen. Receivers who respond to behaviour before it happens will be favoured by evolution.

10. Intention movements-  They become fixed within species Silent- bared Teeth display in primates- related to human smile. Could be intention movement. Ritualised intention movements of lip retraction to aversive  substance?(Andrews 1963). Signal of submission- submission, appeasement, affiliation (van Hoof 1973)

11. Receiver Constraints; Displacment activities (Tinbergen 1952). Seeming irrelevant actions associated with courtship, threat displays, territorial, behaviours etc         eg: zig zag fish courtship display, approach and avoidance. E.g. Preening behavior during courtship (birds). Humans when nervous we scratch, play with hair- displacement activities in stressful situations and probably meaningful Stress behaviours also aroused by conflict

12. How do these behaviours become signals? RITUALISATION - IntenBon movements or displacement acBviBes become ritualised if they improve signal funcBon of a display - Behaviours become: - Highlystereotyped - RepeBBve - Exaggerated - Augmented by physical changes to aid signal (e.g. Plumage and courtship displays).

13. Why do these behaviours become ritualised as signals? 3 hypothesis; 1.  Reduction of Ambiguity 2. Manipulation 3. Honesty

14. 1.  Reductions of Ambiguity Ritualised signals may be less ambiguous, greater clarity of signal. Eg: Closely related tree frog have species- specific calls (species recognition) Increased clarity = reduced info about the motivational state of the actor? But is it a good thing? 2.  Manipulation Why would you should stress, pain , etc- manipulate behaviour Signallers must benefit from signals Evolutionary arms race between actor and receiver Signals get louder as process goes on? Are cooperative signals quieter? 3. Honesty Ritualisations allows signals to become reliable signals of quality Honesty signals will prevail. “Stotting in Gazelles”- Predators prefer stotting at lower rate High rate stotters more likely to escape More stotting in wet season (good condition).

15. 1.      Reductions of Ambiguity Ritualised signals may be less ambiguous, greater clarity of signal. Eg: Closely related tree frog have species- specific calls (species recognition) Increased clarity = reduced info about the motivational state of the actor? But is it a good thing? 2.      Manipulation Why would you should stress, pain , etc- manipulate behaviour Signallers must benefit from signals Evolutionary arms race between actor and receiver Signals get louder as process goes on? Are cooperative signals quieter? 3.      Honesty Ritualisations allows signals to become reliable signals of quality Honesty signals will prevail. “Stotting in Gazelles”- Predators prefer stotting at lower rate High rate stotters more likely to escape More stotting in wet season

16. How does language differ from animal communication?; Intentional, Complexity, Productive         Social Science view, Why did Language Evolve? Traditional theories focus on information exchange.         Importance to instruct others, inform them about the environment (tool use etc) More recently, stronger focus on social aspect of language; the important of exchanging information, gossip (Dunbar 1996); people talk about social things, hunting doesn’t require language, tool contrustuction is easiest by demonstration, brain size doesn’t correlate with tool use complexity.

17. Dunbar (1996) – language evolved to support cohesion within large social groups; Group size correlates with the rela%ve amount of neocortex in primates, Primates use grooming as a mechanism to bond social groups - Opiate produc%on (Keverne et al. 1989).