Abstract
Self-control means choosing a large delayed reward over a small immediate reward; impulsiveness is its opposite. The metabolic hypothesis states that the amount of self-control across species correlates negatively with metabolic rate (Tobin & Logue, 1994). Foraging honeybees have high metabolic rates; the metabolic hypothesis would predict little self-control in bees. But foraging bees work for the longterm good of their hive, conditions that seem to require self-control. In three experiments, we gave bees the choice between (1) a sweeter delayed reward and a less sweet immediate reward and (2) a large delayed reward and a small immediate reward. Bees showed much self-control, inconsistent with the metabolic hypothesis.
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The research reported was supported by grants from Macquarie University.
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Cheng, K., Peña, J., Porter, M.A. et al. Self-control in honeybees. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 9, 259–263 (2002). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196280
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196280