Neurobiology

General skills Nonhuman primates – prosimians, monkeys and apes - represent the best animal models to trace back the evolutionary origins of human behavior and cognition. This course aims at exploring the current knowledge on multiple aspects of non-human and human primate behavior from a comparative perspective. Main aims of the course are: to familiarize students with primate models in behavioral and cognitive research; encourage students to understand the advantages and challenges of using nonhuman primates as animal models to investigate the evolutionary origins of human behavior; to promote the students’ understanding of human behavior and of its evolutionary origins in a comparative perspective, examining both the traits that are considered uniquely human and those that are shared with other primates. The students will acquire knowledge on the most recent research on the evolutionary origins of human behavior. The course will emphasize conceptual, methodological, empirical, and ethical aspects of research on nonhuman primates. Students will be encouraged to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of observational vs. experimental research, in captivity vs. in natural conditions. Students will be familiarized with the concepts of controllability of variables, replicability of findings, and ecological validity of results, and will be encouraged to discuss the scientific and ethical issues concerning research on nonhuman primates and to critically evaluate the scientific literature, in order to promote their capacity to formulate testable hypotheses and develop effective protocols for data collection and analysis. Some basic knowledge of psychology, psychobiology, and evolutionary biology is required. Specific skills A) Knowledge and understanding of the following topics concerning the Primate order: Use of primate models in behavioral and cognitive research; Taxonomy, distribution and ecology; The evolution of nervous system; Visual and tactile perception; Taste and olfactory perception; Methods and tools to study nonhuman primate behavioral and cognition; The evolution of primate social structures and mating systems; The neuroendocrinology of sexual behavior; The biology of reproduction; Parental care; Attachment theory; Social and cognitive development; Psychosocial stress; Hand skills, tool use and innovation; Attention and memory; Quantitative cognition; Decision-making; Individual and social learning; Self-recognition, theory of mind and empathy; The evolution of cooperation; The evolution of communication; The evolution of language; Ethical aspects of research on non-human primates. B) Applying knowledge and understanding - Be able to understand what the main experimental approaches are used to investigate the evolutionary origins of human behavior. - Be able to understand what the still open questions in the study of the evolutionary origins are of human behavior. - Be able to understand what the most effective experimental approaches are used to investigate the evolutionary origins of human behavior. - Be able to understand how the behavioral and cognitive research on nonhuman primates can contribute to the understanding of human behavior. C) Making judgements - To promote independent judgments through critical thinking, participate in debates on scientific and research issues, and critically evaluate the scientific literature. D) Communication skills - To be able to ask and answer questions properly, summarize materials covered in lectures and readings, orally present topics and research problems, clearly articulate and justify own research ideas and positions. E) Learning skills - To learn how to identify research questions, formulate hypotheses, and choose appropriate experimental procedures to test them. - To learn how to use proper concepts and terminology to investigate the evolutionary origins of human behavior. - To learn how to identify sources of information (journals, books, authors) in the fields of behavioral and cognitive research on nonhuman primates. - To learn how to evaluate human behavior and cognition in a comparative perspective, using non- human primate models.