Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
08:24
The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Context-dependent utility overrides absolute memory as a determinant of choice
Lorena Pompilio1, Alex Kacelnik
1Zoology Department, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom.
Summary
Decision-makers
Area of Science:
- Behavioral economics
- Animal cognition
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Decision theories grapple with whether preferences stem from physical properties or experienced utility.
- Utility is context-dependent, unlike fixed physical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether choices are driven by physical attributes or context-dependent utility.
- To test the universality of utility-driven preference control in non-human animals.
Main Methods:
- Controlled experiments with starlings to assess decision-making.
- Comparing choices based on physical properties versus learned utility.
Main Results:
- Starling choices align better with memory for context-dependent utility.
- This holds true even when physical properties are known and the state is controlled.
Conclusions:
- Preference control is potentially driven by utility, not just physical properties.
- Supports the universality of utility-based decision-making across species.
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