-800-call-me: the Myth of the Passive Prospect 1-800-call-me: the Myth of the Passive Prospect

Models of the evolution of signalling have often failed to consider the role of signal receiver as anything more than that of a passive recipient of signals. This passivity takes three forms. First, receiver's are often modelled as valuing information for its own sake, whereas signallers are taken to place diiering values on receiver response. Second, receivers are often considered to be free from the costs associated with signalling scenarios, whereas signallers are subject to a variety of costs associated with signalling. Third, receivers are often assumed to be a homogeneous group, whereas signallers are assumed to vary in interesting respects. Here, a simple demonstration of the manner in which a more realistic characterisation of receiver tness has implications for the evolutionary stability of communicative behaviour will be used to draw attention to the utility of evolutionary simulation models as tools with which to address questions concerning the evolution of signalling systems. Abstract Models of the evolution of signalling have often failed to consider the role of signal receiver as anything more than that of a passive recipient of signals. This passiv-ity takes three forms. First, receiver's are often modelled as valuing information for its own sake, whereas signallers are taken to place diiering values on receiver response. Second, receivers are often considered to be free from the costs associated with signalling scenarios, whereas signallers are subject to a variety of costs associated with signalling. Third, receivers are often assumed to be a homogeneous group, whereas signallers are assumed to vary in interesting respects. Here, a simple demonstration of the manner in which a more realistic characterisation of receiver tness has implications for the evolutionary stability of communicative behaviour will be used to draw attention to the utility of evolutionary simulation models as tools with which to address questions concerning the evolution of signalling systems.