Human and non-human animals: Comparative Psychology - the Venn diagram of cognition and behaviour

Abstract

The APA Handbook of Comparative Psychology is a magnum opus of the first calibre, encompassing the major areas of study of animal cognition and behaviour. Underpinning the field is an evolutionary perspective which is also the central core premise of this handbook. Comprising 80 chapters divided into nine sections, Call and his associate editors have produced a cogent and smoothly synthesised tour de force in terms of its coverage of history, theories, schools of thought and evidence. It is a truly comprehensive piece of work, drawing on contributions from across the Americas, Eurasia and Australasia, from those already eminent in their fields and those from the upcoming generation of pure and applied researchers in the field. The overall structure is logical and simple and the individual chapters provide, as applicable, an introduction to the history of the area, as well as considered discussion of the current state of knowledge, thought and evidence. The clarity of writing means that all the chapters are accessible to those who may not have an extensive background in the subject. The authors have responded to the editor’s encouragement to take a broad taxonomic approach considering evidence from terrestrial and aquatic, vertebrate and invertebrate, domestic and wild species. Combined with the editorial team’s in-text cross references to other chapters, this means this book is an enriching read, engendering cogitations of possibilities for future research both pure and applied, within and across disciplines. The fillip provided by the study of Comparative Psychology is the understanding that the study of non-human species provides can inform, and be informed by, research into the human species. The scope and content of this book makes one realise the widening opportunities for such inter and intra disciplinary thought and progression. Consequently, this text should be made available to every student on every psychology, animal behaviour or welfare focussed course. It is full of gems to which we can direct our colleagues in other areas of psychology and beyond. The real potential from collaborative and cross-disciplinary thinking that comparative psychology can engender is only just beginning to be realised. This book will do much to push it forward to the benefit of both the human and non-human species.

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