Calculating the ESS level of information transfer in aggressive communication

Summary We present a model of aggressive communication that demonstrates the use of evolutionarily stable ambiguous threat displays. We use stochastic dynamic programming to solve a game in which two contestants of differing fighting ability communicate using cost-free threats. These contestants use communication strategies that supply information of varying reliability to the opponent. The results demonstrate that communication does not need to be either costly or unambiguous to be evolutionarily stable.