Program
Invited Symposium
July 28, 2016 10:50 - 12:50
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IS28-15-2
Contemporary Methods in Comparative Psychology: Levels of Analysis, Techniques, and Designs |
The most common strategy to study behavioral adaptations has been species comparisons. The study of behavioral homologies and homoplasies have been central to test evolutionary hypotheses in the study of phylogeny and adaptive fitness to the environment. Comparative psychology has made use of modeling, observation, and experimentation both in the laboratory and naturalistic settings. In recent years, however, the methodological tools used in comparative psychology has extended to complex mathematical strategies, neurobiological and genetic analysis, and other techniques. Academic journals typically recognized to publish comparative research were surveyed to explore current methods in comparative psychology, in terms of settings, level of analysis, specific techniques and methodological design. The results show that comparative psychology continues to use historical methods, but now regularly includes strategies that respond to comparative questions in multiple and complementary levels.
