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Duke University - Evolutionary Anthropology


  • Brian Hare

  • Assistant Professor
  • Evolutionary Anthropology
  • 004 Bio Sci Building
  • Campus Box 90383
  • Phone: (919) 660-7292
  • Fax: +1 919 660 7348
  • Homepage

  • Overview

    Hominoid Psychology Research Group (3chimps) www.eva.mpg.de/3chimps We compare the psychology of hominoids (human and non-human apes). Specifically, we seek to identify which features our social problem-solving abilities have evolved since humans, bonobos, and chimpanzees shared a common ancestor. In addition, we compare the psychology of apes and non-primates to identify cases of psychological convergence. Critically, such cases of convergence may provide a unique opportunity to infer how human-like social skills evolved. We conduct our non-invasive behavioral research in accredited African sanctuaries and U.S. zoos. In addition, we study the cognition of domestic dogs and other canids at the Duke Canine Cognition Center where people bring their pet dogs in to participate in some of the problem solving games we present to great apes and children. We are hoping to understand more about the effect of domestication on dog cognition, identify breed differences in problem solving skills and generally understand the skills and limits of dog cognition in order to help us understand how we might help dogs be more effective companion animals (e.g. for disabled people, detection of substances, etc.).

  • Other

    If your dog would like to participate in our problem solving games or you would just like more information about the Duke Canine Cognition Center, please send an email to dukedogcognition@gmail.com To see a video about the lab - http://research.duke.edu/what-do-dogs-understand/

  • Research Summary

    Human Cognitive Evolution

  • Research Description

    The Hominoid Psychology Research Group (www.eva.mpg.de/3chimps) compares the psychology of hominoids (human and non-human apes). Specifically, we seek to identify which features our social problem-solving abilities have evolved since humans, bonobos, and chimpanzees shared a common ancestor. In addition, we compare the psychology of various primates and non-primates to identify cases of psychological convergence. Such cases of convergence may provide a unique opportunity to infer how human-like social skills evolved. We conduct our non-invasive behavioral research in accredited African sanctuaries, Zoos and the Duke Lemur Center ............................................................................................................................................. - - - - Duke Canine Cognition Center - - - - We study the cognition of domestic dogs at the Duke Canine Cognition Center where people bring their pet dogs in to participate in some of the same problem solving games we present to great apes and children. We are hoping to understand more about the effect of domestication on dog cognition, identify breed differences in problem solving skills and generally understand the constraints of dog cognition in order to help us understand how we might help dogs be more effective companion animals (e.g. for disabled people, detection of substances, etc.)......... If your dog would like to participate in our problem solving games or you would just like more information about the Duke Canine Cognition Center, please send an email to -------- dukedogcognition@gmail.com ---------

  • Teaching

    • EVANTH 122.01
      • HUMAN COGNITIVE EVOLUTION
      • LSRC A247
      • TuTh 10:05 AM-11:20 AM
    • EVANTH 222S.01
      • TOPICS IN PRIMATE COGNITION
      • SEE INSTRU
      • TuTh 01:15 PM-02:30 PM

  • Education

      • Sofia Kovalevskaja Award,
      • Alexander von Humboldt Foundation,
      • 2004
      • Ph.D.,
      • Biological Anthropology,
      • Harvard,
      • 2004
      • B.A.,
      • Psychology and Anthropology,
      • Emory University,
      • 1998

  • Recent Publications

      • Herrmann, E., Call, J., Hernández-Lloreda, M., Hare, B., Tomasello, M..
      • 2007.
      • The cultural intelligence hypothesis: humans evolved specialized skills of social cognition
      • Journal Articles
      • Science
      • 317
      • 1360-1365
      • 2007
      • Warnaken, F., Hare, B., Melis, A., Hanus, D., Tomasello, M.
      • 2007.
      • Spontaneous altruism by chimpanzees and children
      • Journal Articles
      • Public Library of Science
      • 5
      • 1-7
      • 2007
      • Hare, B., Melis, A., Woods, V., Hastings, S., Wrangham, R.
      • 2007.
      • Tolerance allows bonobos to outperform chimpanzees in a cooperative task
      • Journal Articles
      • Current Biology
      • 17
      • 619-623
      • 2007
      • Rosati, A., Stevens, J., Hare, B., Hauser, H.
      • 2007.
      • The origins of human patience.
      • Journal Articles
      • Current Biology
      • 17
      • 1-6
      • 2007
      • Tomasello, M., Hare, B., Call, J., Leehman, H.
      • 2007.
      • Reliance on head versus eye gaze in great apes and human infants
      • Journal Articles
      • Journal of Human Evolution
      • 52
      • 314-320
      • 2007