My research program investigates the functional significance of signal structure and communicative behavior in an effort to better understand the proximate and ultimate sources of signal diversity in communication systems. Within this broad conceptual framework, I am particularly interested in the evolution and function of complex multi-modal signals, those consisting of elements of more than one signal modality.
My research examines (a) the role that the sensory specializations of signal targets play in the evolution of multi-modal signals, (b) how components of these complex signals are shaped by the environments through which they propagate (c) the impact of immediate feedback on the proximate dynamics of signaling systems and (d) and the role of signal targets as mediators of the learning experiences involved in the expression of communicative behavior in both human and non-human animals.
