Intransitive preferences in hoarding gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis)

摘要: Decision makers are often assumed to assign stable fitness-based values foraging options. Under this assumption, the tendency prefer more valuable of two simultaneously available options should be transitive. For example, if option a is preferred when paired with b, and b c, then c. According principle strong stochastic transitivity, preference for over c at least as stronger other preferences (i.e., p(a,c)≥max[p(a,b), p(b,c)]). Gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis) collecting food storage violated principle, failed support even weaker forms transitivity. All subjects (one raisin, 28 cm into tube) (two raisins, 42 cm), (three 56 but none Such paradoxical interpreted evidence simple heuristics rather than complex decision mechanisms. bounded rationality, intransitive choice suboptimal byproduct that usually perform well in real-world situations. Alternatively, could selection favoring process involving context-dependent assessment each fitness-related value option. From perspective, maker's subjective valuation not fixed, depends on context specific pairing options). In experiment, was apparently lower set {a,c} {a,b}. A model used explore conditions under which adaptive based can lead intransitivity.