Customer Reviews

Cognition, Evolution, and Behavior

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a dedicated student of animal behavior I have read a wide variety of texts on the subject but this book stands out in its seamless synthesis of data from ethology/behavioral ecology and comparative/experimental psychology. Previously a student seeking a complete picture of the field of animal behavior would be best served by reading several texts from psychology and biology but here a vast amount of information is presented in a clear, concise, and highly readable manner. The author has in one text presented material that will intrigue but not overwhelm the lay person, yet it will also challenge experts in the field to consider data they might otherwise not have considered.

I wish I could give this book 6 stars. My only regret is not having discovered this one years ago.

I have been doing some serious reading on animal intelligence and behavior: "Animal Cognition" by Clive Wynne, "Animal Intelligence" by Zhanna Reznikova, Animal Learning & Cognition 3rd Ed by John Pearce, and The Ethology of Domestic Animals 2nd Ed by Per Jensen. This ranks right up there with Dr. Pearce's book. Sara Shettleworth is far more open-minded than Wynne, who projects his own limitations onto the animals. She writes with the detail of Reznikova and the clarity of Pearce. If you know these authors, I have told you enough. If not, let me just say that this is one of the best detailed introductions with graphs and charts, and written in everyday language. Yet she does not wear her scholarship lightly.

However, if you are interested in bugs, Reznikova's Animal Intelligence would be my best recommendation. Or if a negative assessment of animal intelligence would make you feel better about yourself, try Dr. Wynne's "Animal Cognition" or the popular level, "Do Animals Think?" His answer is No.

Also worth reading:

Animal Minds by Donald Griffin
Minds of Their Own by Lesley Rogers
Wild Minds by Marc Hauser
The Smartest Animals on the Planet by Sally Boysen

Some of these are more-or-less popular level, mass publications. The Boysen book is a beautiful coffee table item with color photos and excellent charts and explantions of animal "IQ tests."

This book is so full of fascinating information and interesting studies that it's remarkable! I recommend it to anyone who is interested in human or animal intelligence, evolution, or behavior. It is a huge gift to all of us who are curious about ourselves, the other animals we share the planet with, and how all of us became who we are over the course of evolution. It's not a light read, but it's not so heavy as to be out of reach for most educated readers. I have reread parts of it several times and always find new rewards. It should be required reading for a real education!

This was the required textbook for a class on Animal Intelligence at the University of Kansas. Contained various examples from a broad range of animal intelligence. Illustrated quite well how little we know about intelligence.