Ben Whittaker
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social
Post-doc in the Animal Cognition Research Group, @psychualberta.bsky.social • science communicator • (they/them) 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
New paper from the ACRG lab 'No Sex-Differences in Learning Trap-Gap Problems in Zebra Finches' in Ecology and Evolution @LaurenGuillette.bsky.social
Read it here
bit.ly/43pY9eB
Read it here
bit.ly/43pY9eB
November 11, 2025 at 9:14 PM
New paper from the ACRG lab 'No Sex-Differences in Learning Trap-Gap Problems in Zebra Finches' in Ecology and Evolution @LaurenGuillette.bsky.social
Read it here
bit.ly/43pY9eB
Read it here
bit.ly/43pY9eB
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
New paper from our team: No Sex-Differences in Learning Trap-Gap Problems in Zebra Finches #OA bit.ly/43pY9eB in Ecology and Evolution #nest #AnimalCogniton 🧪
@psychualberta.bsky.social
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social
@compcogsoc.bsky.social
@julself.bsky.social
@ualberta.bsky.social
@psychualberta.bsky.social
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social
@compcogsoc.bsky.social
@julself.bsky.social
@ualberta.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 7:56 PM
New paper from our team: No Sex-Differences in Learning Trap-Gap Problems in Zebra Finches #OA bit.ly/43pY9eB in Ecology and Evolution #nest #AnimalCogniton 🧪
@psychualberta.bsky.social
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social
@compcogsoc.bsky.social
@julself.bsky.social
@ualberta.bsky.social
@psychualberta.bsky.social
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social
@compcogsoc.bsky.social
@julself.bsky.social
@ualberta.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
New paper on fear of novelty in birds: 129 collaborators, 82 institutions, 24 countries, and 6 continents! 5 from the lab of Dr @laurenguillette.bsky.social
(also featuring Connor Lambert, Stefan Stanescu, Karen Yeung, and Dr Ben Whittaker) @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
(also featuring Connor Lambert, Stefan Stanescu, Karen Yeung, and Dr Ben Whittaker) @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird ...
dx.plos.org
October 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM
New paper on fear of novelty in birds: 129 collaborators, 82 institutions, 24 countries, and 6 continents! 5 from the lab of Dr @laurenguillette.bsky.social
(also featuring Connor Lambert, Stefan Stanescu, Karen Yeung, and Dr Ben Whittaker) @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
(also featuring Connor Lambert, Stefan Stanescu, Karen Yeung, and Dr Ben Whittaker) @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Bird species with specialized diets and migratory habits tend to show higher fear of novelty, a stable trait that may influence their adaptability to environmental change. doi.org/g96v62
Chickening out: Why some birds fear novelty
The largest-ever study on neophobia, or fear of novelty, has discovered the key reasons why some bird species are more fearful of new things than others.
phys.org
October 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Bird species with specialized diets and migratory habits tend to show higher fear of novelty, a stable trait that may influence their adaptability to environmental change. doi.org/g96v62
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
New paper with 129 collaborators from 82 institutions in 24 countries across six continents, five of these are Animal Cognition Research Groups members! dx.plos.org/10.1371/...
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social @psychualberta.bsky.social
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social @psychualberta.bsky.social
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird species across 25 orders, identifying phylogenetic influences and broad ecological drivers of neophobia.
dx.plos.org
October 14, 2025 at 6:07 PM
New paper with 129 collaborators from 82 institutions in 24 countries across six continents, five of these are Animal Cognition Research Groups members! dx.plos.org/10.1371/...
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social @psychualberta.bsky.social
@ba-whittaker.bsky.social @psychualberta.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Trying to quantify odd- shaped things? Look at our 'Protocol to quantify bird nest morphology via image analyses using linear measurements and geometric landmarks' www.sciencedirect.co...
@psychualberta.bsky.social @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
@psychualberta.bsky.social @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
Protocol to quantify bird nest morphology via image analyses using linear measurements and geometric landmarks
Here, we present a protocol to quantify bird nest morphology via image analyses. We describe steps for collecting linear size measurements, placing ge…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 9, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Trying to quantify odd- shaped things? Look at our 'Protocol to quantify bird nest morphology via image analyses using linear measurements and geometric landmarks' www.sciencedirect.co...
@psychualberta.bsky.social @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
@psychualberta.bsky.social @ba-whittaker.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
New collaborative paper "Systematic mapping and bibliometric analysis of meta-analyses on animal cognition" Neuro & Biobehav Rev https://bit.ly/45Jsd4T by folks at @UNSWScience @ualbertaScience @Uni_Newcastle @HokkaidoUni
@NSERC_CRSNG @Psych_UAlberta #CompCogPapers
@NSERC_CRSNG @Psych_UAlberta #CompCogPapers
Systematic mapping and bibliometric analysis of meta-analyses on animal cognition
Meta-analyses play an important role in empirically synthesising research and guiding future directions. The field of animal cognition is rapidly expa…
bit.ly
August 21, 2025 at 8:57 PM
New collaborative paper "Systematic mapping and bibliometric analysis of meta-analyses on animal cognition" Neuro & Biobehav Rev https://bit.ly/45Jsd4T by folks at @UNSWScience @ualbertaScience @Uni_Newcastle @HokkaidoUni
@NSERC_CRSNG @Psych_UAlberta #CompCogPapers
@NSERC_CRSNG @Psych_UAlberta #CompCogPapers
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Our team has two fully-funded @MitacsCanada Globalink Research Internships for Summer 2026.
Application deadline: 17 Sept 2025
Apply at: https://bit.ly/3UZw8Wj
More about our team here: https://bit.ly/4mHxlgY
Details of projects: https://bit.ly/3JfaTNM
Please RT!
1/3
Application deadline: 17 Sept 2025
Apply at: https://bit.ly/3UZw8Wj
More about our team here: https://bit.ly/4mHxlgY
Details of projects: https://bit.ly/3JfaTNM
Please RT!
1/3
August 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Our team has two fully-funded @MitacsCanada Globalink Research Internships for Summer 2026.
Application deadline: 17 Sept 2025
Apply at: https://bit.ly/3UZw8Wj
More about our team here: https://bit.ly/4mHxlgY
Details of projects: https://bit.ly/3JfaTNM
Please RT!
1/3
Application deadline: 17 Sept 2025
Apply at: https://bit.ly/3UZw8Wj
More about our team here: https://bit.ly/4mHxlgY
Details of projects: https://bit.ly/3JfaTNM
Please RT!
1/3
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
My recent explainer of the science behind studying logical thinking in animals is finally out! 🧪
theconversation.com/humans-and-a...
theconversation.com/humans-and-a...
Humans and animals can both think logically − but testing what kind of logic they’re using is tricky
How researchers measure the logical reasoning of monkeys, pigeons, rats, fish and wasps shapes how they understand mental processes in animals − and in people.
theconversation.com
July 1, 2025 at 6:16 PM
My recent explainer of the science behind studying logical thinking in animals is finally out! 🧪
theconversation.com/humans-and-a...
theconversation.com/humans-and-a...
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Loved seeing this wasp's nest with the beautiful artistry of it plus incorporating the fern.
June 2, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Loved seeing this wasp's nest with the beautiful artistry of it plus incorporating the fern.
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
June 1, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Remembering Chevalière d'Éon for Pride. A transgender woman in the 1700s who was also a spy and who turned double agent, extorted an entire monarchy to get her gender marker changed, and lived her life as a woman in a time when such was thought impossible.
We have always been here.
We have always been here.
June 1, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Remembering Chevalière d'Éon for Pride. A transgender woman in the 1700s who was also a spy and who turned double agent, extorted an entire monarchy to get her gender marker changed, and lived her life as a woman in a time when such was thought impossible.
We have always been here.
We have always been here.
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Ben @ba_whittaker @ba-whittaker.bsky.social talking about the effect of bias on nest-building cognition #CO3_2025.
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG 🧪
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG 🧪
March 31, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Ben @ba_whittaker @ba-whittaker.bsky.social talking about the effect of bias on nest-building cognition #CO3_2025.
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG 🧪
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG 🧪
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Julia @JuliaLSelf talking about conformity in nest-building zebra finches (n = 175 focal males!!) #CO3_2025. Her 1st conference talk is part of the Best Student Talk symposium.
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG
March 28, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Julia @JuliaLSelf talking about conformity in nest-building zebra finches (n = 175 focal males!!) #CO3_2025. Her 1st conference talk is part of the Best Student Talk symposium.
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG
@compcogsoc.bsky.social @PsychUalberta.bsky.social @comparativecog @Psych_UAlberta @NSERC_CRSNG
Reposted by Ben Whittaker
Winter 2025 CogSem continues this Friday March 21st 3-4 pm BS P319N with two talks from the #ACRG Lab @laurenguillette.bsky.social
Julia Self 'Conformity and nest-building decisions'
Dr Ben Whittaker 'What is a birds’ favourite colour? The effect of bias on nest-building cognition'
Julia Self 'Conformity and nest-building decisions'
Dr Ben Whittaker 'What is a birds’ favourite colour? The effect of bias on nest-building cognition'
March 20, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Winter 2025 CogSem continues this Friday March 21st 3-4 pm BS P319N with two talks from the #ACRG Lab @laurenguillette.bsky.social
Julia Self 'Conformity and nest-building decisions'
Dr Ben Whittaker 'What is a birds’ favourite colour? The effect of bias on nest-building cognition'
Julia Self 'Conformity and nest-building decisions'
Dr Ben Whittaker 'What is a birds’ favourite colour? The effect of bias on nest-building cognition'