Recent and current research interests focus on social learning, traditions and culture. To elucidate the evolution of these phenomena I study and compare human and non-human primates, especially our closest living relatives, chimpanzees. Studies include both large scale surveys of behaviour in the wild and behavioural experiments with children and non-human primates. The latter studies include the first ones that track the diffusion of behavioural techniques experimentally introduced into existing groups. Development of social learning capacities is studied in children and juvenile non-human primates.

Research interests span: Evolutionary Psychology; Ethology; Developmental Psychology; Evolution and development of mind, particularly social cognition; Recent and current focus is on Social learning, cultural transmission studied in wild and captive primates (monkeys and apes, particularly chimpanzees and vervet monkeys) and humans, particularly normal children and individuals with autistic spectrum disorders.

For more information, please also see the Scottish Primate Research Group, and Centre for Social Learning  and Cognitive Evolution (http://culture.st-and.ac.uk/solace).

Cultural transmission of tool making in chimpanzees, Chimfunshi, Zambia. Dependence on culture of wild orangutans.  Eye-tracking and social learning in children and chimpanzees. 2,3,4-year-olds' imitative range. Imitation and cultural transmission in macaw parrots.

The 'Living Links to Human Evolution' Research Centre in Edinburgh Zoo has become a major attraction to the public, with visitors estimated at over 300,000 per year. Extensive public engagement with science activities for this substantial population are integral to the research programme at Living Links and have been funded by grants from the Scottish Government and Wellcome Trust.