Obviously there is a danger of the Perfectly General Explanation. But sometimes signaling has to be seen in context to figure out what is really being signalled. You’re quite right that opposite actions may be interpreted as signalling the same thing, but that also assumes a unity of recipients.
Often in the street, seeing someone from behind, I’ve been wondering whether it’s a dolt with no taste or a avantgarde with extreme tastes. You often can’t tell till you see their faces or perhaps glasses.
Similarly, the signalling in the rural areas I come from mean other stuff to the locals than to my big city peers (i.e. rube, not alpha male).
Obviously there is a danger of the Perfectly General Explanation. But sometimes signaling has to be seen in context to figure out what is really being signalled. You’re quite right that opposite actions may be interpreted as signalling the same thing, but that also assumes a unity of recipients.
Often in the street, seeing someone from behind, I’ve been wondering whether it’s a dolt with no taste or a avantgarde with extreme tastes. You often can’t tell till you see their faces or perhaps glasses.
Similarly, the signalling in the rural areas I come from mean other stuff to the locals than to my big city peers (i.e. rube, not alpha male).
People are heroes in their own stories. You can count on them to pretty consistently try and look good to their perceived peers.