Talk:Fisherian runaway: Difference between revisions

Another mechanism that could explain exaggerated ornament and the immense sexual attraction to it, is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handicap_principle Zahavi's handicap principle], also called ''good genes hypothesis'' which claims that exaggerated ornament is a costly and hence reliable signal of other desirable traits. For example, a peacock with a very large tail would be easy prey (which is costly), hence must likely have other good traits that make up for it enabling his survival despite his handicap (good genes).  There is, however, little supporting scientific evidence.  In humans in particular, beauty is not strongly correlated with health at all, and even less with cognitive ability.<ref>https://incels.wiki/w/Scientific_Blackpill#Attractive_people_are_perceived_much_more_positively_than_they_really_are</ref> Neither do human sexually dimorphic traits seem to be particularly costly (except for tallness and large female breasts).