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Humans, chimps, parrots, and crows have evolved to exercise self-control, a trait related to higher intelligence. Now, researchers say cuttlefish – large squid-like creatures with eight arms – also have the ability to delay gratification for better reward.
The researchers used an adapted version of the Stanford Marshmallow Test, in which children were given the choice of making fun of an immediate reward (one marshmallow) or waiting to earn a delayed, but better reward (two marshmallows). , out of six cuttlefish in an aquarium environment. .
The invertebrates were presented with chambers marked with different visual cues in the form of shapes. For example, one signal meant that by the time the food was placed in that room, the door would open – while another meant that when the food was placed in that room, there would be a delay before the door opens. One of the clues was counterintuitive – even though the food was placed in the room and the door was open, there was an extra layer of plastic preventing the cuttlefish from eating the reward.
When the cuttlefish were first exposed to the chambers, they immediately attacked upon seeing the food. Over time, they realized that each room had its own rules. Eventually, the mollusks didn’t even bother to approach the “inaccessible” chamber because they learned they could never gain access to food.
After training was completed, the cuttlefish were then tested in the presence of two chambers – in the “immediate” chamber they were presented with their second preference food, while in the “retard” chamber they received their food. first preference.
In the control setting, these conditions were reflected, except that the delay chamber was the unobtainable chamber. “We wanted to see if they were able to exercise self-control in a flexible way depending on the context,” said lead author Dr Alex Schnell, behavioral ecologist at Cambridge University.
“They could see their favorite food in the inaccessible room, but they could never access it – so they had to make a decision between trying to do so or just taking the immediate option.”
Overall, the cuttlefish delayed gratification when it led to better prey and was able to maintain delays of up to 50 seconds to 130 seconds, the authors wrote in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society. B.
Previous research had suggested that some primates and birds exhibited this advanced level of self-control because they were social species that maintain multiple relationships and use tools, Schnell said.
These species might not feed or hunt at some point so they can craft tools or wait for their partner to eat, she noted. “But that doesn’t apply to cuttlefish… they’re not social and they don’t use tools.”
Instead, self-control could have evolved in cuttlefish to maximize efficiency, she speculated. “It’s a juicy meal… so they spend very long periods of time in camouflage, and stay almost still to avoid detection by predators. And this immobile behavior is interrupted when the cuttlefish feeds.
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