Aj decoy dataset and R code

In models of animal choice, individuals are expected to evaluate options in absolute terms and assign some intrinsic, fitness-related utility value to different options. These expectations are consistent with those of economic rationality, producing decisions that are consistent across variable contexts. Evidence from humans and some other animals suggest that decision shortcuts might produce ‘irrational’ decisions that are influenced by the context of the choice. 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 ecology. Here, we investigated context-dependent decision making in wild Jamaican fruit bats (Artibeus jamaicensis), specifically testing for shifts in preferences with the addition of an irrelevant decoy option. Fruit bats showed evidence for decision-making strategies that are sensitive to the context of the choice. We argue that studies aimed at exploring how an animal’s ecology might influence the presence and magnitude of these biases in decision-making of different animals are critical for understanding how animals make choices.