How animals deal with information: A journey into animal cognition

Research findings in the field of animal psychology

How do red ruffed lemurs know when fruit is ripe? Which animals use imagination, and which rely on learned strategies? How does the environment shape cognitive abilities? What do animals know about one another, and how do they share information? Do chimpanzees recognize when others are unaware of danger, and do they communicate intentionally?

These and many other questions are explored in this lecture series, developed by the University of Amsterdam and ARTIS. Over the course of seven afternoon lectures, leading researchers present the latest findings from the field of animal cognition.

Comparative psychology

The lectures focus on comparative psychology, examining how observations of human and non-human animal behaviour deepen our understanding of the similarities between our brains and the decisions we and other animals make.

The lecture series is part of a third-year Bachelor's course in Psychobiology.

Lectures are taught in English by Professor Karline Janmaat, Professor of Cognitive Behavioural Ecology at Leiden University and ARTIS, Dr Ir. Michiel van Wijk (University of Amsterdam), and Dr Anne Marijke Schel (Utrecht University). The series concludes with a symposium, where students present their ideas for future cognitive behaviour research in ARTIS.