>>It's debatable whether Signalling Theory really applies to creatures who have enough coginitive ability to model thought processes in their peers.
I don't think it's debatable at all, because in this particular case, it is not about cognitive ability, but meta-cognitive ability. You need to first recognize the signal and process it, and then be self-aware enough to understand why you processed it the way you did.
Whereas the fact of the matter is that people are on auto-pilot most of the time. This is why we put so much emphasis on things like first impressions, which are also a form of signaling.
I don't think it's debatable at all, because in this particular case, it is not about cognitive ability, but meta-cognitive ability. You need to first recognize the signal and process it, and then be self-aware enough to understand why you processed it the way you did.
Whereas the fact of the matter is that people are on auto-pilot most of the time. This is why we put so much emphasis on things like first impressions, which are also a form of signaling.