Table 1.

Definitions of signals, responses, cues and coercion. This table makes clear the relationship that cues and coercion have with communication: communication can be thought of as an interaction that is both a cue and a coercive behaviour. Note also that these are general definitions, defined in terms of functionality, and as such are applicable to any instance of communication, and not only animal signals.

	function of action to affect receiver?	function of reaction to be affected by the action?
communication	yes	yes
cue	no	yes
coercion	yes	no