Dr Andrea Griffin

Biography

1996-1998: MSc University of Geneva, Switzerland

1998-2002: PhD Macquarie University, Australia

2002-2004: Swiss National Science Post-doctoral Fellow, McGill University, Canada

2004-2005: Leave of absence

2005-2010: Australian Research Council Fellow: University of Newcastle, Australia

2009-ongoing: Lecturer University of Newcastle (School of Psychology)

Qualifications

• PhD, Macquarie University, 2002

Research

Research keywords

• Animal innovation
• Comparative cognition
• Learning

Research expertise

My research interests fall broadly into the areas of learning and cognition. I am particularly interested in understanding how animals solve ecologically relevant problems they encounter in the wild. In my comparative cognition lab, we use the Indian mynah, a highly invasive and urbanized social songbird, to explore the mechanisms of social learning. Mynahs are also remarkably innovative in the foraging context, so they provide the opportunity to explore relationships between foraging innovation, ecological success and urbanization using both captive and field experimental approaches. We are also comparing the performance of mynahs to a variety of other native and non native Australian bird species. Our findings provide important information into the cognitive and ecological attributes of a highly invasive avian species. As such, they allow us to test theoretical models of animal cognition, but also to inform the development of wildlife management strategies for avian pests. Finally, my work in comparative cognition extends to humans, since together social psychologist, Dr Stefania Paolini (School of Psychology, University of Newcastle), I am exploring the role of individual and social learning in the development of intergroup anxiety. For more details, go to http://andreasgriffin.weebly.com/

Languages

• French
• German

Fields of Research

Centres and Groups

Centre

• Hunter Medical Research Institute
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health (CTNMH)

Group

• Hunter Medical Research Institute - Brain and Mental Health

Appointments

Awards

Distinction.