Probabilistic inferential decision-making under time pressure in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Journal of Comparative Psychology
Andrew C ToaderMarc A Sommer

Abstract

Decisions often involve the consideration of multiple cues, each of which may inform selection on the basis of learned probabilities. Our ability to use probabilistic inference for decisions is bounded by uncertainty and constraints such as time pressure. Previous work showed that when humans choose between visual objects in a multiple-cue, probabilistic task, they cope with time pressure by discounting the least informative cues, an example of satisficing or "good enough" decision-making. We tested two rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on a similar task to assess their capacity for probabilistic inference and satisficing in comparison with humans. In each trial, a monkey viewed two compound stimuli consisting of four cue dimensions. Each dimension (e.g., color) had two possible states (e.g., red or blue) with different probabilistic weights. Selecting the stimulus with highest total weight yielded higher odds of receiving reward. Both monkeys learned the assigned weights at high accuracy. Under time pressure, both monkeys were less accurate as a result of decreased use of cue information. One monkey adopted the same satisficing strategy used by humans, ignoring the least informative cue dimension. Both monkeys, however, exhibit...Continue Reading

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