RESUMEN

Given the choice, people are often drawn toward more options over fewer options in decision-making scenarios. However, mounting evidence indicates that sometimes, choosing from large arrays can result in suboptimal outcomes. The tendency to be overwhelmed, regretful, or less satisfied with a choice when there are many options to choose from is called choice overload. This effect has been well-studied in adult humans, but comparative research, such as with nonhuman primates, is lacking, despite the fact that such choice behavior may be related to general aspects of cognition that underlie behaviors such as foraging in the wild. In addition, research with monkeys can shed light on whether choice overload is a human-unique phenomenon that may be driven by sociocultural factors, or whether this effect may be shared more broadly among mammals. This experiment tested whether monkeys were susceptible to choice overload effects by using a computerized paradigm in which monkey subjects could choose from three, six, or nine task options. No evidence of choice overload was found for monkeys, although this may have been due to methodological limitations that are described.

Asunto(s)

Cebus , Sapajus apella , Animales , Cognición , Macaca mulatta

RESUMEN

The open source and free programming language R is a phenomenal mechanism to address a multiplicity of challenges in ecology and evolution. It is also a complex ecosystem because of the diversity of solutions available to the analyst.Packages for R enhance and specialize the capacity to explore both niche data/experiments and more common needs. However, the paradox of choice or how we select between many seemingly similar options can be overwhelming and lead to different potential outcomes.There is extensive choice in ecology and evolution between packages for both fundamental statistics and for more specialized domain-level analyses.Here, we provide a checklist to inform these decisions based on the principles of resilience, need, and integration with scientific workflows for evidence.It is important to explore choices in any analytical coding environment-not just R-for solutions to challenges in ecology and evolution, and document this process because it advances reproducible science, promotes a deeper understand of the scientific evidence, and ensures that the outcomes are correct, representative, and robust.