Sociobiology of Communication

an interdisciplinary perspective

Edited by Patrizia d'Ettorre and David P. Hughes

Provides a unifying, synthetic view that identifies the general principles underscoring social communication with contributions from the leading scientists in the field
Adopts a novel, interdisciplinary approach, describing the latest research into the biochemical, neurobiological, physiological and molecular basis of the behaviours involved in social communication
Utilizes a wide range of model systems from bacterial biofilms to transoceanic communication among whales
Defines new paradigms with a view to stimulating further developments towards our understanding of social communication

Sociobiology of Communication

an interdisciplinary perspective

Edited by Patrizia d'Ettorre and David P. Hughes

Description

Communication is essential for all forms of social interaction, from parental care to mate choice and cooperation. This is evident for human societies but less obvious for bacterial biofilms, ant colonies or flocks of birds. The major disciplines of communication research have tried to identify common core principles, but syntheses have been few because historical barriers have limited interaction between different research fields.

Sociobiology of Communication is a timely and novel synthesis. It bridges many of the gaps between proximate and ultimate levels of analysis, between empirical model systems, and between biology and the humanities. The book offers the complementary approaches of a distinguished group of authors spanning a large diversity of research programs, addressing, for example, the genetic basis of bacterial communication, dishonest communication in insect societies, sexual selection and network communication among colonial vertebrates. Other chapters explore the role of communication in genomic conflict and self-organisation, and how linguistics, psychology and philosophy may ultimately contribute to a biological understanding of human mate choice and the evolution of human societies.

This highly interdisciplinary book highlights key examples of modern research to explore the genetic, neurobiological, physiological, chemical and behavioural basis of social communication. It identifies where consensus on the general principles is emerging and where the major future challenges are to be found. The book is therefore suitable for both for graduate students and professionals in evolutionary biology and behavioural ecology seeking novel inspiration, and for a wider academic audience, including social and medical scientists who would like to explore what evolutionary approaches can offer to their fields.

Sociobiology of Communication

an interdisciplinary perspective

Edited by Patrizia d'Ettorre and David P. Hughes

Foreword, Patrizia d'Ettorre & David P.Hughes
1:The Handicap Principle and Signalling in Collaborative Systems, Amotz Zahavi
2:Communication in Bacteria, Steve Diggle, Stuart West, Andy Gardner & Ashleigh Griffin
3:Communication in Social Networks of Territorial Animals: Networking at Different Levels in Birds and Other Systems, Giuliano Matessi, Ricardo Matos & Torben Dabelsteen
4:Communication between Hosts and Social Parasites, David Nash and J.J. Boomsma
5:Chemical Communication and the Coordination of Social Interactions in Insects, Patrizia d'Ettorre & Allen Moore
6:Chemical Communication in Societies of Rodents, Jane Hurst and Robert Beyon
7:Neurobiology of Olfactory Communication in the Honeybee, Maria Gabriela de Brito-Sanchez, Nina Deisig, Jean-Christophe Sandoz & Martin Giurfa
8:Rapid Evolution and Sexual Signals, Marlene Zuk & Robin M.Tinghitella
9:Communication of Mate Quality in Humans, S.Craig Roberts
10:The Extended Phenotype within the Colony and how it Obscurers Social Communication, David P Hughes
11:Synergy in Social Communication, David J.T.Sumpter & &Aringke Brännström
12:Conflicting Messages: Genomic Imprinting and Internal Communication, David Haig
13:Language Unbound:Genomic Imprinting and Psychosis in the Origin and Evolution of Modern Humans, Bernard Crespi
14:The Evolution of Human Communication and Language, James R. Hurford
15:Why Teach? The Evolutionary Origins and Ecological Consequences of Costly Information Transfer, Livio Riboli-Sasco, Sam Brown & François Taddei
16:Grades of Signalling, Ronnie de Sousa
17:Conclusion, David P. Hughes & Patrizia d'Ettorre
Glossary

Sociobiology of Communication

an interdisciplinary perspective

Edited by Patrizia d'Ettorre and David P. Hughes

Author Information

Edited by Patrizia d'Ettorre, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, and David P. Hughes, Centre for Social Evolution, Universtiy of Copenhagen

Contributors:

Robert Beynon
J.J. Boomsma
&Aringke Brännström
Sam Brown
Bernard Crespi
Torben Dabelsteen
Maria Gabriela de Brito-Sanchez
Ronnie de Sousa
Nina Deisig
Patrizia d'Ettorre
Stephen Diggle
Andy Gardner
Martin Giurfa
Ashleigh Griffin
David Haig
David P. Hughes
James R. Hurford
Jane Hurst
Giuliano Matessi
Ricardo Matos
Allen J. Moore
David Nash
S. Craig Roberts
Livio Riboli-Sasco
Jean-Christophe Sandoz
David J.T. Sumpter
François Taddei
Robin M. Tinghitella
Stuart West
Amotz Zahavi
Marlene Zuk

Sociobiology of Communication

an interdisciplinary perspective

Edited by Patrizia d'Ettorre and David P. Hughes

Reviews and Awards

"If one wants to be challenged to think outside of the box this book represents a good exercise." - Michael J. Ryan TREE

"...d'Ettore and Haughes have assembled a diverse selection of chapters which provide a fertile starting point for researchers, especially for those working to synthesise communication concepts across disciplines." - Duncan E. Jackson Current Biology

"...will allow students of animal communication to learn the language of linguists-and a new generation of scientists with broad training and rigorously defined concepts can be expected. Understanding other disciplines, and using their advances to critically examine your own premises is often the way to progress in science. Buy this book if you want to be part of that progress." - Myrmecological News d