Signaling vs Countersignaling
Signaling tends to occur in people with medium to strong abilities in a particular area. It may be an effective strategy in this range as their strengths may not be immediately apparent without some effort of communication.Countersignaling is associated with extreme strength to the point that touting oneself has become pointless or counterproductive. For example, old money families may view conspicuous luxury brands as a sure sign of the nouveau riche. Someone who has mastered the violin may sound more impressive saying something like "sure, I played a few concerts" than they would listing out the dozens of prestigious awards and honors they have received.Countersignaling as a Bluff
In some cases, individuals will use humble signals to convey strength and confidence in an area where they are weak. This differs from true humility in intent and content. Someone who is terrible at the violin might say "sure, I played a few concerts" in a show of confidence. True humility might come out as "sure, but I never was very good."| Signaling vs Countersignaling | ||
Signaling | Countersignaling | |
Definition | Sending social signals that indicate your wealth or abilities. | Subtly establishing that you have no need to promote yourself because your position, status or abilities speak for themselves. |
