Chimpanzee

Exploring the evolution of animal minds

Discover our research in the Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology (CCEP)

The Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology (CCEP) is a multidisciplinary team of psychologists (developmental, cognitive, social and biological) and behavioural biologists.

Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology is the scientific study of the origins of mind and behaviour, and our work explores the evolutionary processes underpinning human behaviour and the comparison of humans with other animals. We have particular expertise in comparative social and spatial cognition, emotion, communication and facial expression.

Within the Centre (and in our Dog Cognition Centre) we are exploring the origins of mind and behaviour through the consideration of evolutionary processes and the comparison of humans with other animals. We're interested in how social structures are formed and how we can apply evolutionary thinking to understand today's problems.

And through a deeper understanding of the minds and behaviours of animals, we're exploring how humans have evolved – from how social structures are formed, to the ways in which evolutionary thinking can help solve the problems of today. Our research portal, Pure, has a full list of our staff and researchers working in this area.

You can also follow the Centre on Twitter @UoP_CCEP or email the Centre directly at ccep@port.ac.uk.

CCEP research focuses on the following areas:

Our evolutionary psychology research covers the following topics:

  • Human Evolutionary Psychology – including facial attractiveness; flirting; disgust sensitivity; olfaction; human facial expression; hormones and behaviour; personality; emotion; cooperation; human development
  • Primate Cognition – including communication; facial expression; FACS; acoustics; friendship; comparative developmental psychology; theory of mind; emotion; laughter; cooperation; reputation formation; competition; social learning; personality and learning; joint attention; decision-making; executive functioning; spatial cognition
  • Human-Animal Interaction, Conservation and Welfare – including conservation and rehabilitation of orangutans and sun bears in Borneo, elephant conservation, companion and working equid welfare; indices of positive emotion; stereotypies and maladaptive behaviour, public engagement in science, enrichment, education programs in Indonesia, animal advocacy and animal rights; animal–assisted therapy
  • Domestication and Cognition – including influence of domestication on cognition; animal-human communication; theory of mind in dogs; horse social cognition and behaviour; facial expressions; secondary emotions; emotion expression and perception, cooperation; reputation formation; inequity aversion; multi-sensory perception; physiological indices of emotion; friendship  

Publication highlights

2024

Orangutans and chimpanzees produce morphologically varied laugh faces in response to the age and sex of their social partners

Crepaldi, F., Davila-Ross, M., Dezecache, G., Proops, L., Rocque, F.

6 Nov 2024, In: Scientific Reports. 14, 1, 12p., 26921

Without optimum support: effect of maternal early deprivation on play in semiwild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes

Davila Ross, M., Francesconi, M., Loprete, A. L., Maglieri, V., Palagi, E.

2 Nov 2024, In: Animal Behaviour. 218

Young sanctuary-living chimpanzees produce more communicative expressions with artificial objects than with natural objects

Davila Ross, M., Gibson, V., Nomikou, I., Salphati, S., Somogyi, E., Taylor, D. J.

23 Oct 2024, In: Royal Society Open Science. 11, 10, 18p., 240632

Working horse welfare in Senegal is linked to owner’s socioeconomic status, their attitudes and belief in horse sentience

Carder, G., Fletcher, K., Proops, L., Randau, M., Seck, M., Wathan, J.

18 Oct 2024, In: PLoS One. 19, 10, 17p., e0309149

HPA activity mediates the link between trait impulsivity and boredom

Badariotti, J. i., Clay, J. m., Kozhushko, N., Parker, M. O.

1 Oct 2024, In: Physiology & Behavior. 284, 7p., 114637

Other publication highlights include:

Our members

Juliane Kaminski Portrait

Dr Juliane Kaminski

Associate Professor in Comparative Psychology

Juliane.Kaminski@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Marina Davila Ross Portrait

Dr Marina Davila Ross

Associate Professor in Comparative Psychology

Marina.Davila-Ross@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Lena Grinsted Portrait

Dr Lena Grinsted

Senior Lecturer

Lena.Grinsted@port.ac.uk

School of the Environment and Life Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Esther Herrmann Portrait

Dr Esther Herrmann

Senior Lecturer

Esther.Herrmann@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Marine Michell Joly Portrait

Dr Marine Joly

Associate Professor in Cognitive Ethology

marine.joly@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Jerome Francois Micheletta Portrait

Dr Jerome Micheletta

Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour

Jerome.Micheletta@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

PhD Supervisor

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Sophie Jane Milward Portrait

Dr Sophie Milward

Senior Lecturer

sophie.milward@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Dr Paul Morris

Principal Lecturer

Paul.Morris@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

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Edward Ralph Morrison Portrait

Mr Ed Morrison

Senior Lecturer

Ed.Morrison@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Leanne Clare Proops Portrait

Dr Leanne Proops

Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour & Welfare

leanne.proops@port.ac.uk

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Faculty of Science and Health

PhD Supervisor

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Lucy Anne Bates Portrait

Dr Lucy Bates

Senior Lecturer

Lucy.Bates@port.ac.uk

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Dr Teresa Romero

Senior Lecturer

Teresa.Romero@port.ac.uk

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Current postdoctoral researchers: Alan Rincon

Current postgraduate researchers: Olivia Barber, Violet Burek, James Clay, Madeleine Cleal, Peter Clark, Fabio Crepaldi, Melody Darblade, Barbara Fontana, Alexander Freemantle, Emily Haddy, Jennifer Leighton, Kate Lewis, Louise Loyant, Claire Perez, Florence Rocque, Jasmine Rollings, Laura Saunders, Derry Taylor

Interested in postgraduate study in Psychology?

Browse our postgraduate research projects at our Psychology research degrees page, visit the MRes Science and Health page, or search our Master's degrees in Psychology.

 



Internships and volunteering opportunities at the CCEP

We also offer internships and volunteering opportunities, please contact one of our member directly or the CCEP director, Juliane Kaminski.

Partnerships and funding

Our partnerships include:

  • Monkey Haven on the Isle of Wight – in partnership with Monkey Haven, we conduct cognitive and behavioural studies with rescued primates
  • The Macaca Nigra Project in Indonesia – we're linked with this unique fieldsite to study the behaviour of wild crested macaques
  • The Donkey Sanctuary – we collaborate with the sanctuary on research into the behavioural and logistical support needed for global welfare projects

Our recent funders include the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Leverhulme Trust, Marie Curie, the British Academy , The Leakey Foundation, The Waltham Foundation and the Royal Society. You can also see a full list of our recent funding awards at our research portal.

Take part in our research studies

We're always looking for volunteers to join our research study programmes.

If you're an adult interested in registering for a research study, please fill in the following form. 

Register now

If you're interested in registering a child for a research study, please fill in the following form.

Register now

Explore our research

Dog Cognition Centre

In the Dog Cognition Centre, we're exploring the behaviour and cognitive processes of man's best friend – and studying everything from human-dog communication, to facial expressions in dogs.

Smiling labrador dog
Find out more

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Discover the School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences, where we're exploring health and exercise science, sport science, and the impact of psychology.

21/10/21.Sports Scholars 2021..All Rights Reserved - Helen Yates- T: +44 (0)7790805960.Local copyright law applies to all print & online usage. Fees charged will comply with standard space rates and usage for that country, region or state.
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Macaque Project

Researchers in the Department of Psychology are studying macaque cognition and behaviour. Find out more about this research project.

For use on the Macaque Project web page ONLY
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