Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 26, 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
1.1K
Rational choice of social group size in mosquitofish
Luke Reding1, Molly E Cummings1
1Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin , 1 University Station C0990, Austin, TX 78712 , USA.
Biology Letters
|April 9, 2019
Summary
Female mosquitofish exhibit rational decision-making when choosing social groups, consistently preferring larger shoals. This suggests that decisions directly impacting survival may favor economic rationality in animal behavior.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Social species often join larger groups (shoals) to enhance survivorship and foraging efficiency.
- Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) are small freshwater fish that utilize shoaling for predator avoidance and resource acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the economic rationality of shoal choice decisions in female mosquitofish.
- To determine if mosquitofish shoal preferences are consistent and optimal, adhering to economic principles.
Main Methods:
- Tested the constant ratio rule, a key indicator of rational choice, in female mosquitofish.
- Assessed shoal choice based on varying group sizes to evaluate preference consistency.
Main Results:
- Female mosquitofish demonstrated adherence to the constant ratio rule when selecting shoals based on size.
- These findings contrast with previous studies showing irrationality in foraging and mate choice decisions.
Conclusions:
- Mosquitofish exhibit rational decision-making in their choice of social groups.
- Decisions with immediate implications for survivorship, particularly along a single dimension, may favor rational choice.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:06Social Exchange Theory
39.5K
We have discussed why we form relationships, what attracts us to others, and different types of love. But what determines whether we are satisfied with and stay in a relationship? One theory that provides an explanation is social exchange theory. According to social exchange theory, we act as naïve economists in keeping a tally of the ratio of costs and benefits of forming and maintaining a relationship with others (Rusbult & Van Lange, 2003).
39.5K
00:52Social Proof
31.5K
Social proof is a form of persuasion based on comparison and conformity. People compare their behavior and actions to what others are doing and will change to conform to do what their peers do.
31.5K
02:10Social Scripts
10.3K
People tend to know what behavior is expected of them in specific, familiar settings. A script is a person’s knowledge about the sequence of events expected in a specific setting (Schank & Abelson, 1977). Essentially, scripts are a particular kind of schema, one containing default values for the features within an event. In the restaurant example, the script's features include the props (e.g., tables, menu, food, and money), the roles to be played (e.g., customer and waiter),...
10.3K
01:37Social Loafing
39.0K
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated,...
39.0K
01:41Social Traps
26.3K
Social traps are negative situations where people get caught in a direction or relationship that later proves to be unpleasant, with no easy way to back out of or avoid. The concept was orignally introduced by John Platt who applied psychology to Garrett Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons", where in New England herd owners could let their cattle graze in the common ground. This situation seems like a good idea, but an individual could have an advantage. If they owned...
26.3K
01:24Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
395
Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs) are grounded in the belief that our thoughts profoundly influence our emotions and actions. Advocates of CBT emphasize three core assumptions: first, that cognitions are identifiable and measurable; second, that they are central to psychological functioning; and third, that irrational or maladaptive beliefs can be replaced with rational and adaptive ones. This transformative approach to therapy has paved the way for specific models such as Albert...
395