Amotz Zahavi – the man who explained evolutionary wastefulness
On September 8 and 9, public lectures will be given in Tartu by Amotz Zahavi (b. 1928), Professor Emeritus of Tel Aviv University, whose theories about costly signals have changed contemporary views on the nature of biocommunication.
In his principal work, “The Origin of Species” (1859) Charles Darwin proposed an account of the evolution of species based on natural selection. First, he focused on traits that gave a living organism an advantage over other members of its species, allowing it to compete with them and to survive in encounters with other life-forms, and to adapt to various environmental conditions. Later, in his book “The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex” (1871), discussing the scope of natural selection, Darwin concentrated his attention on sexual selection.
A breakthrough in relation to providing an account of sexual selection was made in 1975, when the Israeli zoologist Amotz Zahavi published an article entitled “Mate selection – a selection for a handicap” in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. In the article, Zahavi provided an explanation for the evolution of costly sexual traits, which is akin to squandering and wasteful spending – phenomena which are so well known in human societies, too. It appears that in both cases, we are dealing with costly ways of advertising the desirable qualities of an individual.
Zahavi showed that expending one’s resources in order to attract attention (consider the tail of a peacock, or the purchase of luxury goods) may actually be beneficial to those who send and receive such signals. The ability to commit resources to potentially dangerous and impractical ostentation constitutes a signal showing possession of the corresponding resources. Zahavi’s ideas have filled an important lacuna in Darwin’s theory of sexual selection in that they account for the benefit that females see in giving preference to partners with the costliest sexual ornaments. In addition to biology, Zahavi’s principle of handicap (or costly signals) plays an important role in the evolutionary branches of psychology, social sciences, medicine and environmental sciences.
Amotz Zahavi is visiting Estonia on an invitation from the University of Tartu and the Centre of Excellence FIBIR (Frontiers in Biodiversity Research).
Tartu, 8 September 2009 at 6 p.m.:
The handicap principle and its implications to human signaling and altruism – a lecture (in English) by Amotz Zahavi at the Dorpat Conference Centre in the Baer Hall of Tasku Building, organized by UT’s Centre of Excellence FIBIR (Frontiers in Biodiversity Research) and the Science Centre AHHAA as part of the Café scientifique lecture series.
Tartu, 9 September 2009 at 6 p.m.:
The unique properties of signal selection and their implications to signaling by hormones and neurotransmitters – a lecture (in English) by Amotz Zahavi in the lecture theatre at 46, Vanemuise St, organized by UT’s Centre of Excellence FIBIR (Frontiers in Biodiversity Research)
Additional information: www.fibir.ut.ee
Ivar Puura, FIBIR Coordinator for Education and Communication, mob +372 510 6858
Peeter Hõrak, Professor of Physiological Ecology of Animals, mob +372 514 9552, peeter.horak [ät] ut.ee
Karin Volmer
University of Tartu
Press Representative
Tel +372 737 5683
Mob +372 5202807
E-mail: avalik [ät] ut.ee
/en/university/general/news_eng
In his principal work, “The Origin of Species” (1859) Charles Darwin proposed an account of the evolution of species based on natural selection. First, he focused on traits that gave a living organism an advantage over other members of its species, allowing it to compete with them and to survive in encounters with other life-forms, and to adapt to various environmental conditions. Later, in his book “The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex” (1871), discussing the scope of natural selection, Darwin concentrated his attention on sexual selection.
A breakthrough in relation to providing an account of sexual selection was made in 1975, when the Israeli zoologist Amotz Zahavi published an article entitled “Mate selection – a selection for a handicap” in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. In the article, Zahavi provided an explanation for the evolution of costly sexual traits, which is akin to squandering and wasteful spending – phenomena which are so well known in human societies, too. It appears that in both cases, we are dealing with costly ways of advertising the desirable qualities of an individual.
Zahavi showed that expending one’s resources in order to attract attention (consider the tail of a peacock, or the purchase of luxury goods) may actually be beneficial to those who send and receive such signals. The ability to commit resources to potentially dangerous and impractical ostentation constitutes a signal showing possession of the corresponding resources. Zahavi’s ideas have filled an important lacuna in Darwin’s theory of sexual selection in that they account for the benefit that females see in giving preference to partners with the costliest sexual ornaments. In addition to biology, Zahavi’s principle of handicap (or costly signals) plays an important role in the evolutionary branches of psychology, social sciences, medicine and environmental sciences.
Amotz Zahavi is visiting Estonia on an invitation from the University of Tartu and the Centre of Excellence FIBIR (Frontiers in Biodiversity Research).
Tartu, 8 September 2009 at 6 p.m.:
The handicap principle and its implications to human signaling and altruism – a lecture (in English) by Amotz Zahavi at the Dorpat Conference Centre in the Baer Hall of Tasku Building, organized by UT’s Centre of Excellence FIBIR (Frontiers in Biodiversity Research) and the Science Centre AHHAA as part of the Café scientifique lecture series.
Tartu, 9 September 2009 at 6 p.m.:
The unique properties of signal selection and their implications to signaling by hormones and neurotransmitters – a lecture (in English) by Amotz Zahavi in the lecture theatre at 46, Vanemuise St, organized by UT’s Centre of Excellence FIBIR (Frontiers in Biodiversity Research)
Additional information: www.fibir.ut.ee
Ivar Puura, FIBIR Coordinator for Education and Communication, mob +372 510 6858
Peeter Hõrak, Professor of Physiological Ecology of Animals, mob +372 514 9552, peeter.horak [ät] ut.ee
Karin Volmer
University of Tartu
Press Representative
Tel +372 737 5683
Mob +372 5202807
E-mail: avalik [ät] ut.ee
/en/university/general/news_eng