Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task.
The ability to make profitable decisions in natural foraging contexts may be influenced by an additional requirement of tool-use, due to increased levels of relational complexity and additional work-effort imposed by tool-use, compared with simply choosing between an immediate and delayed food item....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2020-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219874 |
| _version_ | 1819044137112961024 |
|---|---|
| author | Rachael Miller Romana Gruber Anna Frohnwieser Martina Schiestl Sarah A Jelbert Russell D Gray Markus Boeckle Alex H Taylor Nicola S Clayton |
| author_facet | Rachael Miller Romana Gruber Anna Frohnwieser Martina Schiestl Sarah A Jelbert Russell D Gray Markus Boeckle Alex H Taylor Nicola S Clayton |
| author_sort | Rachael Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ability to make profitable decisions in natural foraging contexts may be influenced by an additional requirement of tool-use, due to increased levels of relational complexity and additional work-effort imposed by tool-use, compared with simply choosing between an immediate and delayed food item. We examined the flexibility for making the most profitable decisions in a multi-dimensional tool-use task, involving different apparatuses, tools and rewards of varying quality, in 3-5-year-old children, adult humans and tool-making New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides). We also compared our results to previous studies on habitually tool-making orangutans (Pongo abelii) and non-tool-making Goffin's cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana). Adult humans, cockatoos and crows, but not children and orangutans, did not select a tool when it was not necessary, which was the more profitable choice in this situation. Adult humans, orangutans and cockatoos, but not crows and children, were able to refrain from selecting non-functional tools. By contrast, the birds, but not the primates tested, struggled to attend to multiple variables-where two apparatuses, two tools and two reward qualities were presented simultaneously-without extended experience. These findings indicate: (1) in a similar manner to humans and orangutans, New Caledonian crows and Goffin's cockatoos can flexibly make profitable decisions in some decision-making tool-use tasks, though the birds may struggle when tasks become more complex; (2) children and orangutans may have a bias to use tools in situations where adults and other tool-making species do not. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:07:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1dcc6ce07aba4c7bbc1a9f1e9a2c16e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:07:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-1dcc6ce07aba4c7bbc1a9f1e9a2c16e12022-12-21T19:07:47ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-01153e021987410.1371/journal.pone.0219874Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task.Rachael MillerRomana GruberAnna FrohnwieserMartina SchiestlSarah A JelbertRussell D GrayMarkus BoeckleAlex H TaylorNicola S ClaytonThe ability to make profitable decisions in natural foraging contexts may be influenced by an additional requirement of tool-use, due to increased levels of relational complexity and additional work-effort imposed by tool-use, compared with simply choosing between an immediate and delayed food item. We examined the flexibility for making the most profitable decisions in a multi-dimensional tool-use task, involving different apparatuses, tools and rewards of varying quality, in 3-5-year-old children, adult humans and tool-making New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides). We also compared our results to previous studies on habitually tool-making orangutans (Pongo abelii) and non-tool-making Goffin's cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana). Adult humans, cockatoos and crows, but not children and orangutans, did not select a tool when it was not necessary, which was the more profitable choice in this situation. Adult humans, orangutans and cockatoos, but not crows and children, were able to refrain from selecting non-functional tools. By contrast, the birds, but not the primates tested, struggled to attend to multiple variables-where two apparatuses, two tools and two reward qualities were presented simultaneously-without extended experience. These findings indicate: (1) in a similar manner to humans and orangutans, New Caledonian crows and Goffin's cockatoos can flexibly make profitable decisions in some decision-making tool-use tasks, though the birds may struggle when tasks become more complex; (2) children and orangutans may have a bias to use tools in situations where adults and other tool-making species do not.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219874 |
| spellingShingle | Rachael Miller Romana Gruber Anna Frohnwieser Martina Schiestl Sarah A Jelbert Russell D Gray Markus Boeckle Alex H Taylor Nicola S Clayton Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task. PLoS ONE |
| title | Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task. |
| title_full | Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task. |
| title_fullStr | Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task. |
| title_short | Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task. |
| title_sort | decision making flexibility in new caledonian crows young children and adult humans in a multi dimensional tool use task |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219874 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rachaelmiller decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT romanagruber decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT annafrohnwieser decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT martinaschiestl decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT sarahajelbert decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT russelldgray decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT markusboeckle decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT alexhtaylor decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask AT nicolasclayton decisionmakingflexibilityinnewcaledoniancrowsyoungchildrenandadulthumansinamultidimensionaltoolusetask |