Context-dependent preferences in wild fruit bats

Abstract

In models of choice, animals are expected to evaluate options in absolute terms and assign some fitness-related value to different options. These expectations are similar to those of economic rationality, and both predict consistent decisions across variable contexts. Evidence from humans and other animals suggests that decision-making mechanisms can lead to context-dependent choices, which are considered economically irrational. While there is widespread evidence that these mechanisms may influence animal decision making, we can now explore how the presence and degree of these biases may arise in different animals based on their taxonomy and ecology. Here, we investigated context-dependent decisions in wild Jamaican fruit bats, Artibeus jamaicensis . We found that bats were sensitive to the context of the choice, showing shifts in preference upon the addition of an irrelevant decoy option. These results contrast previous findings in a close relative, the frog-eating bat, Trachops cirrhosus , indicating that diet may play a critical role in these behaviours. We argue that comparative studies exploring the role of diet on these decision-making biases are critical for understanding how animals make foraging decisions in the wild. • Animals are generally expected to select the best option in a choice set. • We tested whether fruit bats show context-dependent foraging preferences. • The presence of an inferior choice influenced foraging preferences in fruit bats. • Comparative evaluation may be influenced by an animal's diet.