Data from: Dynamics of pre-choice and post-choice behaviour: rats approximate optimal strategy in a discrete-trial decision task

We simulate two types of environments to investigate how closely rats approximate optimal foraging. Rats initiated a trial where they chose between two spouts for sucrose, which was delivered at distinct probabilities. The discrete trial procedure used allowed us to observe the relationship between choice proportions, response latencies and obtained rewards. Our results show that rats approximate the optimal strategy across a range of environments that differ in the average probability of reward as well as the dynamics of the depletion-renewal cycle. We found that the constituent components of a single choice differentially reflect environmental contingencies. Post-choice behaviour, measured as the duration of time rats spent licking at the spouts on unrewarded trials, was the most sensitive index of environmental variables, adjusting most rapidly to changes in the environment. These findings have implications for the role of confidence in choice outcomes for guiding future choices.

本研究构建两类仿真环境，以探究大鼠觅食行为与最优觅食策略的契合程度。实验中，大鼠需启动试次，并在两个发放蔗糖溶液的舔食喷嘴间做出选择，蔗糖的发放概率各不相同。本次采用的离散试次实验范式，使得我们能够观测选择比例、反应潜伏期与所得奖励之间的关联。研究结果表明，在奖励平均概率与消耗-更新循环动态特性各异的多种环境中，大鼠的觅食行为均趋近于最优策略。我们发现，单次选择的各个组成部分会差异化地反映环境依存关系。选择后行为（以未获得奖励的试次中大鼠在喷嘴处的舔舐时长为衡量指标）是对环境变量最为敏感的观测指标，能够最快速地响应环境变化。上述研究结果为选择结果的信心在指导后续选择中的作用提供了新的理论启示。