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How noisy information and individual asymmetries can make ‘personality’ an adaptation: a simple model
Individual animals sometimes differ across many different contexts of behaviour. There are individuals who behave boldly and others who behave shyly, whether in conflict over food, search for mates, or territory defense. These differences are puzzling, because in many cases it seems an individual would do better to remain entirely flexible across situations. Why should any animal display "personality"? This paper explores the logic of a model in which personality types arise because (1) there is uncertainty about which context an individual is in and (2) there are subtle differences in physical state or experience among individuals that make some situations more profitable or dangerous. As a result, the best thing to do may be to behave inflexibly and in a way that maximizes each individual's own payoffs.DOI (Digital Object Identifier, will open in another window):: doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.04.001
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DOI (Digital Object Identifier, will open in another window):: doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.04.001