Quality Before Quantity: Rapid Learning of Reverse-Reward Contingency by Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella)

Citation

Anderson J, Hattori Y & Fujita K (2008) Quality Before Quantity: Rapid Learning of Reverse-Reward Contingency by Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella). Journal of Comparative Psychology, 122 (4), pp. 445-448. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012624

Abstract
Capuchin monkeys ( Cebus apella ) were tested on a reverse-reward task involving different quantities of the same food, or an identical quantity of different foods. All monkeys tested first on the qualitative version spontaneously mastered the task, whereas only one of four spontaneously mastered the quantitative version. No monkey reached criterion when the tasks were switched, although almost all did so following remedial procedures after the study. The results suggest that (a) qualitative reverse-reward is easier than quantitative versions of the problem, (b) quality and quantity dimensions are processed differently in food-related tasks, and (c) capuchin monkeys can show rapid and spontaneous learning of reverse-reward contingencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords
C; Food; Learning; Monkeys; qualitative; QUALITY; rights; TASK

Journal
Journal of Comparative Psychology: Volume 122, Issue 4