More Monkeynomics
Paul W. Glimcher trained thirsty monkeys to direct their eyes to one of two illuminated targets, which earned them differing chances of getting juice rewards — a 50% chance of getting a full cup of juice for looking right, say, versus a 75% chance of getting 1/2 a cup of juice for looking left. The game was repeated many times, with the probabilities changing periodically.
Before long, the monkeys were dividing their time between the illuminated targets in a way that roughly maximized their payoffs. When the odds favored looking right, they looked right; when the odds favored looking left, they looked left.
Glimcher’s experiment implies that monkey brains act as if they were solving a mathematical problem, which is what economists assume when they depict people as rational agents trying to maximize their well-being (”utility”).
“Mind Games” by John Cassidy
Also see Behavioral Monkeynomics