Preface; 1. History of comparative cognition; 2. Sensory systems; 3. Memory; 4. Associative processes; 5. Orientation and navigation; 6. Timing and number; 7. Decision making; 8. Causality and tool use; 9. Categorization and concept formation; 10. Social competence; 11. Prosocial behavior; 12. Communication; 13. Learning from others; References; Figure credits; Index.
This book introduces cognitive processes and animal behaviour across species, integrating classic studies and contemporary research in psychology, biology and neuroscience.
Mary C. Olmstead is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Queen's University, Ontario. Her research is directed towards understanding the neural and psychological interface between motivation and cognition, or how rewarding stimuli influence learning. Valerie A. Kuhlmeier is Associate Professor of Psychology and Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Development at Queen's University, Ontario. Her research programme explores cognition from a developmental and evolutionary perspective.
'Comparative Cognition provides a clear and comprehensive review
and an engaging synthesis of the key topics in this rapidly
developing field. Like the other classic textbooks on animal
cognition this book integrates knowledge of experimental psychology
and evolutionary biology, reflecting the roots of this discipline
in comparative psychology and ethology. It also contains a number
of novel features, with its enhanced emphasis on both evolutionary
function and the underlying neural mechanisms. These include
feature boxes that describe key concepts in more detail, and
researcher profiles that capture the contribution of some of the
major figureheads in the field. A particular highlight is the
series of questions at the end of each chapter, which encourage
students to think more deeply about the issues raised, and to
design experiments to test the competing hypotheses.' Nicola S.
Clayton, University of Cambridge
''What is it like to be a bat?' Thomas Nagel once posed this
question as a thought experiment and in doing so neatly illustrated
the fact that we will never be able to experience the world from
another animal's perspective. Despite the daunting task, however,
Comparative Cognition attempts to do just that. The authors bring
decades of research and teaching experience in compiling this
valuable volume. The book contains 13 chapters and covers the
breadth of comparative cognition in an introductory format that is
likely to suit third-year undergraduate university students. Each
chapter has a chapter plan, summary points, and ends with a series
of discussion topics and further reading. Key terms are highlighted
in bold, and defined in a glossary at the end of the volume to help
with tricky terminology that is typical of a multidisciplinary
field. Learning and teaching is further enhanced with an online
tool set including PowerPoint slides … It is perhaps the first
textbook that assimilates knowledge from the rapidly developing,
cross-disciplinary field of comparative cognition. As such it will
be a valuable addition to bookshelf of both undergraduates and
lecturers.' Culum Brown, The Quarterly Review of Biology
Ask a Question About this Product More... |