Bottlenose dolphins do not behave prosocially in an instrumental helping task

Area of Science:

• Marine Mammal Behavior
• Animal Cognition
• Cetacean Social Dynamics

Background:

• Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are recognized for complex social structures and cooperation.
• Despite their social nature, experimental research on prosocial behavior in dolphins is limited.
• Instrumental helping, defined as assisting others in achieving goals, is a key indicator of prosociality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential for instrumental helping behavior in captive bottlenose dolphins.
• To determine if dolphins would share resources (tokens) to facilitate a partner's access to a reward (toy).

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving five captive bottlenose dolphins was conducted.
• Dolphins were presented with tokens that could be used by a partner to obtain a preferred toy.
• Dolphins had the choice to share the tokens or engage in other activities during their free time.

Main Results:

• None of the dolphins shared the tokens with their partners.
• Dolphins primarily engaged in playing with the tokens, ignoring their partners' needs.
• Tokens were sometimes moved, but strategically placed out of the partners' reach.

Conclusions:

• The studied group of bottlenose dolphins did not demonstrate spontaneous instrumental helping behavior.
• In this specific experimental context, dolphins did not prioritize other-regarding actions.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the nuances of prosociality in cetaceans.