10.5061/DRYAD.HMGQNK9FD
van Leeuwen, Edwin J. C.
0000-0002-7729-2182
University of Antwerp
Morgan, Thomas
Arizona State University
Riebel, Katharina
Leiden University
Data from: Foraging zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are public
information users rather than conformists
Dryad
dataset
2020
FOS: Biological sciences
Research Foundation - Flanders
https://ror.org/03qtxy027
2020-12-28T00:00:00Z
2020-12-28T00:00:00Z
en
20137 bytes
4
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Social learning enables adaptive information acquisition provided that it
is not random but selective. To understand species typical decision-making
and to trace the evolutionary origins of social learning, the heuristics
social learners use need to be identified. Here, we experimentally tested
the nature of majority influence in the zebra finch. Subjects
simultaneously observed two demonstrator groups differing in relative and
absolute numbers (ratios 1:2 / 2:4 / 3:3 / 1:5) foraging from two novel
food sources (black and white feeders). We find that demonstrator groups
influenced observers’ feeder choices (social learning), but that zebra
finches did not copy the majority of individuals. Instead, observers were
influenced by the pecks of their demonstrators, and in an anti-conformist
fashion. These results indicate that zebra finches are not conformist, but
are public information users.
Experimental data. Scored from video.