Animal Cognition
Description
What occupies the mind of an animal? To what extent do they experience consciousness? Is there such a thing as culture in the animal kingdom? For those new to this fascinating topic, this innovative text delivers an apt and comprehensive introduction to the rich and complex world of animal behaviour and cognition. Discover pivotal case studies and experiments that have irrevocably shaped how we view the psychological and social lives of animals and discover such key cognitive topics as memory, communication and sensory perception. Projecting an insightful scope into the cognitive world of animals, from considering the use of tools in birds to the dance communication system of the honey bee, Wynne and Udell analyse and explain the importance of the observations and studies that have led to the greater understanding of how animals learn, perceive social relations, form concepts, experience time and navigate space.
Written with the student-reader in mind, this text provides the ideal introduction to this excitingly progressive field in psychology to any undergraduate undertaking courses in animal behaviour and comparative psychology. This book is for those who desire to learn an up-to-date history of cornerstone theories in the field thus far and gain a comprehensive introductory understanding into the function and evolution of the broad range of cognitive and behavioural faculties in animals.
Reviews / Votes
Praise for the first edition: "This book communicates the intriguing facts about animal cognition, and how fascinating it can be to investigate animal minds, without talking down to the reader, exaggerating animals' mental capacities, or implying that outstanding questions have been answered...A very unusual combination." - Professor Cecilia Heyes, University College London, UK "Wynne writes clearly, engages the reader well, and gives lots of examples and anecdotes but does not sacrifice rigour." - Professor Michael Corballis, University of Auckland, New Zealand "Extremely readable, particularly for undergraduates...the first book of its kind that is well-suited for an advanced undergraduate course rather than for a graduate course." - Professor Tom Zentall, University of Kentucky, USA "An excellent introduction to animal cognition...Coverage is impressively thorough...Wynne has a delightfully engaging, informal style. It is clear that the author enjoys what he is writing about, and this enjoyment is readily conveyed to the reader." - Professor John Pearce, Cardiff University, UKMore details
Other editions
Additional editions
Persons
Monique Udell is Assistant Professor of Animal Sciences at Oregon State University, USA. She has a special interest in the role of experience and environment in the development of cross-species interactions and bonds, including those between humans and domestic dogs.
Content
1. Evolution, Adaptation, Cognition and Behavior: An Introduction.- 2. Other Ways of Seeing the World.- 3. Concept Formation.- 4. Time and Number.- 5. Cause and Effect.- 6. Reasoning.- 7. Navigation.- 8. Social Cognition and Self Awareness.- 9. Social Learning.- 10. Remembering.- 11. Animal Communication in the Wild.- 12. Language.- 13. Conclusions and Comparisons.