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Are monkeys sensitive to informativeness: An experimental study with baboons (Papio papio)
Anne Reboul1,2,3, Olivier Mascaro4, Nicolas Claidière1,2,3
1Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LPC, Marseille, France.
Plos One
|July 5, 2022
Summary
Baboons demonstrate sensitivity to informativeness, a measure of reduced uncertainty. This study shows baboons use informativeness to anticipate rewards, influencing their behavior in response to cues.
Area of Science:
- Animal cognition
- Behavioral ecology
- Primate behavior
Background:
- Informativeness, defined as uncertainty reduction, is crucial for effective communication.
- Understanding how non-human primates process information is key to understanding cognitive evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate baboons' sensitivity to informativeness in a cue-response task.
- To determine if informativeness influences anticipatory behavior and reaction times.
- To assess the role of reward contingency in mediating informativeness effects.
Main Methods:
- Baboons were presented with cues of varying informativeness, with options to anticipate or wait for revealed responses.
- Experiments manipulated reward schedules to isolate the effect of informativeness from reward tracking.
- Behavioral data, including anticipations and reaction times (RTs), were recorded.
Main Results:
- Anticipatory responses increased with informativeness in Experiment 1, but this link diminished when reward was inconsistent.
- Reaction times for revealed trials consistently decreased with increased informativeness across experiments.
- Correct answer rates in fast RT trials (< 250ms) were positively correlated with informativeness.
Conclusions:
- Baboons are sensitive to informativeness, using it as a cue for reward prediction.
- Informativeness plays a significant role in modulating cognitive and behavioral responses in primates.
- The findings suggest informativeness is an ecologically relevant signal for reward-seeking behavior.
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