In the delay choice task subjects are presented with the choice between a smaller immediate option and a larger delayed option. Although a preference for the large delayed option is commonly interpreted as an indication of inhibitory control, it may possible that this option is instead the target of an impulsive response based on quantity. To disentangle this issue, we compared the performance of 10 capuchin monkeys, 101 preschool children, and 88 adult humans in a delay choice task with food, low-symbolic tokens (objects that can be exchanged with food and have a one-to-one correspondence with food items), and high-symbolic tokens (objects that can be exchanged with food and have a one-to-many correspondence with food items). Previous findings suggests that performance in self-control tasks improves when the problem is framed in a symbolic context. Here, we aimed to test two hypotheses: (i) Failure at inhibition: if choices for the delayed reward are due to a failure at inhibiting the prepotent response for the larger quantity, then high-symbolic stimuli should reduce the preference for the delayed reward, whereas low-symbolic stimuli should have no effect; (ii) Tolerance for delay: if choices for the delayed reward reflect temporal preferences, then symbolic stimuli should increase the preference for the delayed reward, with high symbolic stimuli having a greater impact than low symbolic ones. Our findings fit the ‘Failure at inhibition hypothesis’ since capuchins, children and – with some limitations – adult humans chose the larger delayed option more when presented with food than when presented with high-symbolic tokens. Thus, preferring the larger delayed option in the delay choice task seems to result from an impulsive preference for quantity, rather than from a sustained delay tolerance. Consequently, the delay choice task does not seem to provide a reliable measure of self-control.
Waiting by mistake: symbolic representation of rewards modulate intertemporal choice in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella), children and human adults’ / Addessi, E.; Bellagamba, Francesca; Delfino, A.; De Petrillo, F.; Focaroli, V.; Macchitella, L.; Maggiorelli, V.; Pace, B.; Pecora, Giulia; Rossi, S.; Sbaffi, A.; Tasselli, M. I.; Paglieri, F.. - (2012). (Intervento presentato al convegno CogEvo, Rovereto Workshop on Cognition and Evolution tenutosi a Rovereto nel Giugno).
Waiting by mistake: symbolic representation of rewards modulate intertemporal choice in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella), children and human adults’
BELLAGAMBA, Francesca;PECORA, GIULIA;
2012
Abstract
In the delay choice task subjects are presented with the choice between a smaller immediate option and a larger delayed option. Although a preference for the large delayed option is commonly interpreted as an indication of inhibitory control, it may possible that this option is instead the target of an impulsive response based on quantity. To disentangle this issue, we compared the performance of 10 capuchin monkeys, 101 preschool children, and 88 adult humans in a delay choice task with food, low-symbolic tokens (objects that can be exchanged with food and have a one-to-one correspondence with food items), and high-symbolic tokens (objects that can be exchanged with food and have a one-to-many correspondence with food items). Previous findings suggests that performance in self-control tasks improves when the problem is framed in a symbolic context. Here, we aimed to test two hypotheses: (i) Failure at inhibition: if choices for the delayed reward are due to a failure at inhibiting the prepotent response for the larger quantity, then high-symbolic stimuli should reduce the preference for the delayed reward, whereas low-symbolic stimuli should have no effect; (ii) Tolerance for delay: if choices for the delayed reward reflect temporal preferences, then symbolic stimuli should increase the preference for the delayed reward, with high symbolic stimuli having a greater impact than low symbolic ones. Our findings fit the ‘Failure at inhibition hypothesis’ since capuchins, children and – with some limitations – adult humans chose the larger delayed option more when presented with food than when presented with high-symbolic tokens. Thus, preferring the larger delayed option in the delay choice task seems to result from an impulsive preference for quantity, rather than from a sustained delay tolerance. Consequently, the delay choice task does not seem to provide a reliable measure of self-control.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
