Lecture topic: The Parable of Cliff Jolly’s Chimney
Dr. Louise Barrett was trained in ecology and anthropology at University College London, and has taught in anthropology, biology and psychology departments in the UK and Canada. She is currently a Professor of Psychology and Canada Research Chair in Cognition, Evolution & Behaviour at the University of Lethbridge, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Over the past 25 years, she has conducted long-term field studies of baboons and vervet monkeys in South Africa, in collaboration with Professor Peter Henzi. Her research centers on how ecology shapes patterns of sociality, brain size, and cognitive evolution. She is also interested in a biocultural approach to human behaviour, particularly with respect to fertility and reproductive decision-making in both non-industrial and industrial societies. Her work draws on the disciplines of anthropology, psychology, philosophy, cognitive science and behavioural ecology.