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Rhesus monkeys' valuation of vocalizations during a free-choice task.
- Source :
-
PloS one [PLoS One] 2009 Nov 18; Vol. 4 (11), pp. e7834. Date of Electronic Publication: 2009 Nov 18. - Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- Adaptive behavior requires that animals integrate current and past information with their decision-making. One important type of information is auditory-communication signals (i.e., species-specific vocalizations). Here, we tested how rhesus monkeys incorporate the opportunity to listen to different species-specific vocalizations into their decision-making processes. In particular, we tested how monkeys value these vocalizations relative to the opportunity to get a juice reward. To test this hypothesis, monkeys chose one of two targets to get a varying juice reward; at one of those targets, in addition to the juice reward, a vocalization was presented. By titrating the juice amounts at the two targets, we quantified the relationship between the monkeys' juice choices relative to the opportunity to listen to a vocalization. We found that, rhesus were not willing to give up a large juice reward to listen to vocalizations indicating that, relative to a juice reward, listening to vocalizations has a low value.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1932-6203
- Volume :
- 4
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- PloS one
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 19924223
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007834