Sexual selection and the evolution of cognition

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There is accumulating evidence that cognitive abilities vary widely both among and within animal species but how differences in cognition evolve remains little understood. Over the last decade, several studies reported a positive link between male cognitive abilities and mating success, which strongly suggests that sexual selection, through female mate choice, could drive the evolution of enhanced male cognition. Notwithstanding, the extent in which intersexual selection contributes to the maintenance of diversity in male cognition has been the focus of much debate. For instance, we currently lack direct evidence that females unanimously base their mate choice on traits that reliably reflect male cognitive ability. Thus, it would appear that the direction and strength of sexual selection varies depending on the ecological and social contexts, as well as among cognitive abilities. The proposed research program will combine theoretical work with experimental studies and will contribute to the development of a conceptual framework for understanding and predicting the relative importance of natural and sexual selection on cognitive diversity, and its consequences on signal evolution. It is divided into three axes aimed at i) determining which cognitive traits are the targets of sexual selection under different ecological contexts, ii) establishing whether and how females assess male cognitive ability, and iii) understanding the patterns of association between secondary sexual traits and cognitive abilities. Because cognitive abilities affect the capacity of individuals to survive in novel or modified habitats, it is crucial to identify what may improve or reduce cognition. The proposed research program will then provide important results for conservation biologists and evolutionary psychologists. It will also contribute to the training of scientists that will develop critical methodological skills to design experiments and generate testable predictions from theoretical mathematical and computational analyses.