(this is a new modular building between
the Psychology
building and the UCEN, next to Parking
Lot 3)
Background
Over a period spanning nearly 50 years, David Premack has studied topics
in the psychology of motivation, learning, cognition and language.
His initial studies on the nature of reinforcement in animal learning led
him to explore the varieties and extend of higher-level cognition in animals,
especially primates. Together with Ann Premack, his work with the
chimpanzee Sarah propelled him to the forefront of research on animal intelligence
and "animal language." This work was described in the book The
Mind of an Ape, which won the American Psychological Association Award
for Excellence. More recently, they have studied the workings of
the cognitive machinery responsible for inferring intentionality and causality,
and for constructing "theories of other minds." They discuss the
pedagogical implications of their research in their forthcoming volume,
How to Educate a Human.
