In this paper we propose an alternative explanation for the evolution of co
urtship rituals in monogamous species. We demonstrate, using computer simul
ations, how male courtship might develop as males exploit response biases i
n females to manipulate the female into starting reproduction before she ha
s been able to assess the male's intentions. In our coevolutionary simulati
ons, a recurrent, artificial neural network is used to model the female rec
ognition mechanism, while the displaying male is represented by a sequence
of signals. Our particular model situation is just one example of how a rep
roductive conflict could result in the evolution of ritualized displays in
monogamous species. Since reproductive conflicts occur even after pair form
ations, the explanation we propose may also apply to rituals that occur aft
er pair formation.