# Behavioral Signal A behavioral signal is an observable action or non-action used as evidence about how a person or population responded to an environment. In communication systems, signals include sharing, clicking, commenting, returning, unsubscribing, ignoring, reframing, or moving to another channel. A signal is not a transparent statement of motive. A share may express agreement, ridicule, identity performance, or warning. Responsible analysis treats observed behavior as partial evidence, compares multiple signals over time, and avoids converting ambiguous traces into unwarranted psychological certainty. Related: [[wiki/Audience Analytics|Audience Analytics]], [[wiki/Human Response Structure|Human Response Structure]], [[wiki/Behavioral State Change|Behavioral State Change]], [[wiki/Feedback|Feedback]]. ## Simple Reminders, Quotations, and Thoughts > “Primates are intensely visual animals, and much primate communication happens through faces, postures, and displays. A chimpanzee's raised hair or a relaxed play face conveys meaning instantly. Humans inherit that sensitivity to visual signals, which is why images carry such power.” > **— Bryant McGill**, *Visual Storytelling and the Signals of Credibility - Livestream (Aug 2016)* [[reminders/Human Animality/Humans Inherit the Visual Signaling of Primates by Bryant McGill|Humans Inherit the Visual Signaling of Primates by Bryant McGill]]