Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task
Abstract Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) appear to be robustly risk-seeking in computerized gambling tasks typically used for electrophysiology. This behavior distinguishes them from many other animals, which are risk-averse, albeit measured in more naturalistic contexts. We wondered whether macaqu...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2019-10-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51442-z |
| _version_ | 1818995068830220288 |
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| author | Benjamin R. Eisenreich* Benjamin Y. Hayden Jan Zimmermann |
| author_facet | Benjamin R. Eisenreich* Benjamin Y. Hayden Jan Zimmermann |
| author_sort | Benjamin R. Eisenreich* |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) appear to be robustly risk-seeking in computerized gambling tasks typically used for electrophysiology. This behavior distinguishes them from many other animals, which are risk-averse, albeit measured in more naturalistic contexts. We wondered whether macaques’ risk preferences reflect their evolutionary history or derive from the less naturalistic elements of task design associated with the demands of physiological recording. We assessed macaques’ risk attitudes in a task that is somewhat more naturalistic than many that have previously been used: subjects foraged at four feeding stations in a large enclosure. Patches (i.e., stations), provided either stochastically or non-stochastically depleting rewards. Subjects’ patch residence times were longer at safe than at risky stations, indicating a preference for safe options. This preference was not attributable to a win-stay-lose-shift heuristic and reversed as the environmental richness increased. These findings highlight the lability of risk attitudes in macaques and support the hypothesis that the ecological validity of a task can influence the expression of risk preference. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T21:07:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-67f3e78024a34fd59461dd3333c9dcdf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T21:07:58Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-67f3e78024a34fd59461dd3333c9dcdf2022-12-21T19:26:34ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222019-10-019111210.1038/s41598-019-51442-zMacaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging taskBenjamin R. Eisenreich*0Benjamin Y. Hayden1Jan Zimmermann2Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and Center for Neuroengineering University of MinnesotaDepartment of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and Center for Neuroengineering University of MinnesotaDepartment of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and Center for Neuroengineering University of MinnesotaAbstract Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) appear to be robustly risk-seeking in computerized gambling tasks typically used for electrophysiology. This behavior distinguishes them from many other animals, which are risk-averse, albeit measured in more naturalistic contexts. We wondered whether macaques’ risk preferences reflect their evolutionary history or derive from the less naturalistic elements of task design associated with the demands of physiological recording. We assessed macaques’ risk attitudes in a task that is somewhat more naturalistic than many that have previously been used: subjects foraged at four feeding stations in a large enclosure. Patches (i.e., stations), provided either stochastically or non-stochastically depleting rewards. Subjects’ patch residence times were longer at safe than at risky stations, indicating a preference for safe options. This preference was not attributable to a win-stay-lose-shift heuristic and reversed as the environmental richness increased. These findings highlight the lability of risk attitudes in macaques and support the hypothesis that the ecological validity of a task can influence the expression of risk preference.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51442-z |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin R. Eisenreich* Benjamin Y. Hayden Jan Zimmermann Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task Scientific Reports |
| title | Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task |
| title_full | Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task |
| title_fullStr | Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task |
| title_full_unstemmed | Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task |
| title_short | Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task |
| title_sort | macaques are risk averse in a freely moving foraging task |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51442-z |
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