Countersignaling or countersignalling is the behavior in which agents with the highest level of a given property invest less into proving it than individuals with a medium level of the same property.
This concept is primarily useful for analyzing human behavior and thus relevant to signaling theory in economics, sociology and psychology.
For example, in biology peacocks expend energy on elaborate plumage that increase their risk of dying.
For instance, the new money are eager to flaunt their wealth, and often surround themselves with expensive luxury items.
[1] There are a number of different models that deal with this behavior and explain how rational individuals – those interested only in maximising certain utility – would find countersignaling beneficial.