Transfer of information concerning distant foods: A laboratory investigation of the ‘information-centre’ hypothesis

When choosing between two novel diets, an ‘observer’ rat (Rattus norvegicus) prefers that diet previously eaten by a ‘demonstrator’ conspecific with whom the observer has interacted prior to making its choice between diets. Demonstrator influence on observer diet selection is maintained even if, during the period of demonstrator-observer interaction, the demonstrator is anaesthetized and a wire-mesh barrier prevents the demonstrator from …