To stay together, group-living animals must reach consensus about where to go and what to do. Because individuals differ in their needs and capabilities, group members’ preferences will not always align. Resolving such conflicts of interest is a key challenge to living in stable, socially complex societies. How is influence exerted? How is…
How do interactions with competitors and predators shape the collective dynamics of animal communities? All animals must navigate complex landscapes of risk and reward, but social species must accomplish this while balancing their own needs and preferences with those of their group-mates. How do individuals and groups ultimately integrate this…
Sleep is an inherently risky behavioral state, defined by decreased sensitivity to environmental stimuli. Sleeping together with other individuals offers a variety of advantages, including protection from predators and buffering against cold nighttime temperatures. However, group members also compete with each other over access to the safest…
How does life in the canopy shape the evolution of the mind? The foraging decisions of kinkajous - an elusive species that forages in neo-tropical forest canopies at night - may offer some clues. The central aim of this project is to identify the processes of learning and memory that allow kinkajous to keep track of when and where to find their…
