Projects
My research involves collaborations with colleagues at a variety of universities as well as University of Puget Sound undergraduates. Below is an interactive list of some past and current research projects. Please visit my lab's website for more additional projects.
Social Referencing
2011-Present
The purpose of the series of investigations is to determine whether or not intonation provides information during an ambiguous forced-choice task. These projects were first piloted with parrots, and now are being replicated and extended with dogs.
The purpose of the series of investigations is to determine whether or not intonation provides information during an ambiguous forced-choice task. These projects were first piloted with parrots, and now are being replicated and extended with dogs.
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Strategic Use of Speech by a Nonhuman Speaker |
2010-2013 There were four studies comprising my dissertation. All of them involved the use of transcription-based linguistic analysis of conversations between one African Grey, Cosmo, and her owner. I investigated four functional features of language: turn-taking and dialogue, volume modulation, manipulation, and response to refusal. Click the play button on the left to listen to a great example of Cosmo's requesting behavior and response to refusal to "go up" (i.e., to be let out of her enclosure). |
Harris' Hawk String-Pulling Behavior
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2010-2012
The Harris' hawk is one of the only social-hunting birds of prey, making them great falconry birds. Species of raptors had never been tested on the string-pulling paradigm, but positive results with other social birds like parrots and corvids encouraged us to try with Harris' hawks. Not only have we found evidence of the same step-pull-step behavior reported in parrot and corvid studies, but one hawk solved the task within 7 minutes upon first viewing the apparatus! These results are published in Ibis and can be read here. |
The S.U.R.E. Workbook
2010-2016
In collaboration with NIH postdoc Dr. Elizabeth Simpson, the purpose of the S.U.R.E. (Specialized Undergraduate Research Experience) Workbook is to tailor a research experience to the needs and goals of an undergraduate research assistant and his or her faculty mentor. The Workbook is freely available via email, and is currently being updated in preparation for publication. Click the photo to the left to view our poster from the 2010 Best Practices in Teaching conference in Atlanta, GA.
In collaboration with NIH postdoc Dr. Elizabeth Simpson, the purpose of the S.U.R.E. (Specialized Undergraduate Research Experience) Workbook is to tailor a research experience to the needs and goals of an undergraduate research assistant and his or her faculty mentor. The Workbook is freely available via email, and is currently being updated in preparation for publication. Click the photo to the left to view our poster from the 2010 Best Practices in Teaching conference in Atlanta, GA.
Social Context Influences Parrot Vocalizations
Videotaping Cosmo, the African Grey
2007-2009
My master's thesis investigated how varying a companion African Grey parrot's social context influenced her vocalization output. I recorded and transcribed the vocalizations of one female parrot and compared her rate of vocalizing, vocabulary, and thematic content while she was in the room with her owner, in separate rooms out of visual contact from her owner, alone in the house, and while being ignored by her caregiver who was talking to me. The results were published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology and can be read here.
My master's thesis investigated how varying a companion African Grey parrot's social context influenced her vocalization output. I recorded and transcribed the vocalizations of one female parrot and compared her rate of vocalizing, vocabulary, and thematic content while she was in the room with her owner, in separate rooms out of visual contact from her owner, alone in the house, and while being ignored by her caregiver who was talking to me. The results were published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology and can be read here.
Quantity Discrimination by Capuchin Monkeys
Leo positioning a token into the tray
2007-2009
For my first-year graduate project at the University of Georgia, I assessed capuchin monkeys' ability to sum quantities in two conditions. The first condition was color-coded tokens (e.g., red = 1 peanut) and the second was clear containers where peanuts were visible. Monkeys were shown pairs of different combinations of tokens or clear containers and allowed to choose one set.
For my first-year graduate project at the University of Georgia, I assessed capuchin monkeys' ability to sum quantities in two conditions. The first condition was color-coded tokens (e.g., red = 1 peanut) and the second was clear containers where peanuts were visible. Monkeys were shown pairs of different combinations of tokens or clear containers and allowed to choose one set.