An Investigation into Predictors of Competitive Success in a Large-Scale Group Foraging Task

Ideal Free Distribution Theory (IFD) (Fretwell & Lucas, 1970) suggests that the allocation of organisms to two or more resource sites is a function of the available resources at each site. Experimental arrangements involving human participants consist of a series of trials in which participants choose between two resource sites with differing resource values. Past research has investigated the relationship between delay discounting and performance in an IFD task, noting correlations between higher discounting and poorer individual performance. The current study sought to investigate the predictive capabilities of various psychological assessments, including an individual and group-context delay discounting task. Results demonstrate that the allocation of participants conformed to the IFD theory. Additionally, results suggest that, while controlling for all other assessments, the individual delay discounting assessment, competitive index score, and proportion of trials switched significantly predicted performance.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Yanagita, Bryan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Reed, Derek D

• Behavioral sciences
• Behavioral psychology
• Competitive success
• Delay discounting
• Group context delay discounting
• Ideal free distribution theory

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:14818

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/22380