Available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-making
Abstract Decision-making has been observed to be systematically affected by decoys, i.e., options that should be irrelevant, either because unavailable or because manifestly inferior to other alternatives, and yet shift preferences towards their target. Decoy effects have been extensively studied bo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Animal Cognition |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-024-01860-y |
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| author | Marco Marini Edoardo Colaiuda Serena Gastaldi Elsa Addessi Fabio Paglieri |
| author_facet | Marco Marini Edoardo Colaiuda Serena Gastaldi Elsa Addessi Fabio Paglieri |
| author_sort | Marco Marini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Decision-making has been observed to be systematically affected by decoys, i.e., options that should be irrelevant, either because unavailable or because manifestly inferior to other alternatives, and yet shift preferences towards their target. Decoy effects have been extensively studied both in humans and in several other species; however, evidence in non-human primates remains scant and inconclusive. To address this gap, this study investigates how choices in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) are affected by different types of decoys: asymmetrically dominated decoys, i.e., available and unavailable options that are inferior to only one of the other alternatives, and phantom decoys, i.e., unavailable options that are superior to another available alternative. After controlling for the subjective strength of initial preferences and the distance of each decoy from its target in attribute space, results demonstrate a systematic shift in capuchins’ preference towards the target of both asymmetrically dominated decoys (whether they are available or not) and phantom decoys, regardless of what options is being targeted by such decoys. This provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of decoy effects in non-human primates, with important theoretical and methodological implications for future comparative studies on context effects in decision-making. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a6c66b9ebb1049069aa29e34d701d1fa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1435-9456 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Cognition |
| spelling | doaj-art-a6c66b9ebb1049069aa29e34d701d1fa2025-01-26T12:44:11ZengSpringerAnimal Cognition1435-94562024-02-0127111210.1007/s10071-024-01860-yAvailable and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-makingMarco Marini0Edoardo Colaiuda1Serena Gastaldi2Elsa Addessi3Fabio Paglieri4IMT School for Advanced StudiesInstitute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research CouncilInstitute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research CouncilInstitute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research CouncilInstitute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research CouncilAbstract Decision-making has been observed to be systematically affected by decoys, i.e., options that should be irrelevant, either because unavailable or because manifestly inferior to other alternatives, and yet shift preferences towards their target. Decoy effects have been extensively studied both in humans and in several other species; however, evidence in non-human primates remains scant and inconclusive. To address this gap, this study investigates how choices in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) are affected by different types of decoys: asymmetrically dominated decoys, i.e., available and unavailable options that are inferior to only one of the other alternatives, and phantom decoys, i.e., unavailable options that are superior to another available alternative. After controlling for the subjective strength of initial preferences and the distance of each decoy from its target in attribute space, results demonstrate a systematic shift in capuchins’ preference towards the target of both asymmetrically dominated decoys (whether they are available or not) and phantom decoys, regardless of what options is being targeted by such decoys. This provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of decoy effects in non-human primates, with important theoretical and methodological implications for future comparative studies on context effects in decision-making.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-024-01860-yContext effectsAttraction effectUnavailable decoysPhantom decoyCapuchin monkeysComparative decision-making |
| spellingShingle | Marco Marini Edoardo Colaiuda Serena Gastaldi Elsa Addessi Fabio Paglieri Available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-making Animal Cognition Context effects Attraction effect Unavailable decoys Phantom decoy Capuchin monkeys Comparative decision-making |
| title | Available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-making |
| title_full | Available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-making |
| title_fullStr | Available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-making |
| title_full_unstemmed | Available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-making |
| title_short | Available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) decision-making |
| title_sort | available and unavailable decoys in capuchin monkeys sapajus spp decision making |
| topic | Context effects Attraction effect Unavailable decoys Phantom decoy Capuchin monkeys Comparative decision-making |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-024-01860-y |
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