title: Suboptimal choice by dogs: when less is better than more.
abstract: The less is more effect, an example of an affect heuristic, can be shown in humans when they give greater value to a set of six baseball cards in perfect condition, than to the same set of six perfect cards together with three additional cards each with some value but in fair condition. A similar effect has been reported in monkeys which will eat both grapes and cucumbers but prefer grapes, when they prefer a single grape over a single grape plus a slice of cucumber. In the present experiment, we tested the less is more effect with a nonprimate but social species, dogs. We used dogs that would eat a slice of carrot and a slice of cheese but preferred the cheese. When we then gave them a choice between a slice of cheese and a slice of cheese plus a slice of carrot, most dogs preferred the single slice of cheese. Thus, the less is more effect appears to occur in several species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Pattison
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Zentall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003210:Concept Formation; D004285:Dogs / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D008297:Male