Curriculum vitae

PDF Version



Address: B83 East Stadium Phone: +1 402 472 1840
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Fax: +1 402 472 4637
Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 E-mail: Jeff Stevens email address
Google Scholar Citations Twitter: @JeffStevensADML
ResearchGate GitHub: jstevens5
Publons: C-4619-2011 Open Science Framework
ORCID: 0000-0003-2375-1360 ImpactStory
LinkedIN UNL Digital Commons

Academic Positions

NIH post-doctoral fellow Department of Psychology,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, Massachusetts (2003-2006)
Lecturer Department of Psychology,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, Massachusetts (2006)
Research scientist Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition,
Max Planck Institute for Human Development,
Berlin, Germany (2006-2011)
Adjunct research scientist Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition,
Max Planck Institute for Human Development,
Berlin, Germany (2011-2015)
Assistant professor Department of Psychology,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (2011-2017)
Core faculty Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (2011-present)
Affiliated faculty Center for Integrative and Translational Neuroscience,
University of Nebraska Medical Center,
Omaha, Nebraska, USA (2015-present)
Courtesy faculty School of Biological Sciences,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (2012-present)
Associate professor Department of Psychology,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (2017-present)
Susan J. Rosowski Associate professor Department of Psychology,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (2020-present)


Education

B.S. Baylor University, Waco, Texas (1992-1996) Magna cum laude
Majors: Biology, Environmental Studies; Minor: Political Science
Ph.D. University of Minnesota, St. Paul (1997-2002)
Major: Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; Minor: Psychology
Dissertation: The behavioral ecology of food sharing
Advisor: David Stephens


Research Interests

My research uses the bounded rationality approach, which explores how organisms with limited time, information, and computational abilities make adaptive decisions. This approach emphasizes two key aspects of decision making. First, to properly study decisions, we must understand the decision process. This involves developing formal models that describe the cognitive processes organisms use when making decisions. It also involves exploring the cognitive capacities required to implement these processes. Second, the bounded rationality approach highlights the role of the environment in decision making. A decision process is ecologically rational when there is an adaptive fit between the decision process and the structure of the environment in which the organism operates. I use this bounded rationality approach to study intertemporal choice, risky choice, cooperation, and social contact patterns.



Publications

Preprints

  1. Goh, F.W., Jungck, A.C., & Stevens, J.R. (2020). Pro tip: Screen-based payment methods increase negative feelings in consumers but do not increase tip sizes. PsyArXiv.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code OSF PsyArXiv



    Forthcoming

  2. Marvin, S., Sorenson, K., & Stevens, J.R. (forthcoming). Bringing human-animal interaction to sport: Potential impacts on athletic performance. European Journal of Sport Science.
    PDF PsyArXiv


  3. Schutte, A., Torquati, J., & Stevens, J.R. (forthcoming). Nature and Psychology: Biological, Cognitive, Developmental, and Social Pathways to Well-Being. New York: Springer.
  4. Schutte, A., Torquati, J., & Stevens, J.R. (forthcoming). Introduction. In A. Schutte, J. Torquati, & J.R. Stevens (Eds.), Nature and Psychology: Biological, Cognitive, Developmental, and Social Pathways to Well-Being. New York: Springer.
  5. Stevens, J.R., Saltzman, A., Rasumussen, T., & Soh, L.-K. (forthcoming). Improving measurements of similarity judgments with machine-learning algorithms. Journal of Computational Social Science.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research OSF PsyArXiv


  6. Stevens, J.R., Wolff, L.M., Bosworth, M., & Morstad, J. (forthcoming). Dog and owner characteristics predict training success. Animal Cognition.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research OSF PsyArXiv



  7. Thayer, E.R. & Stevens, J.R. (forthcoming). Effects of human-animal interactions on affect and cognition. Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research OSF PsyArXiv



    2021

  8. Addessi, E., Tierno, V., Focaroli, V., Rossi, F., Gastaldi, S., De Petrillo, F., Paglieri, F., & Stevens, J. R. (2021). Are capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) sensitive to lost opportunities? The role of opportunity costs in intertemporal choice. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 376(1819), 20190674.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Dryad


  9. Goh, F. & Stevens, J. R. (2021). Attribute-based choice. In R. Viale (Ed.), Routledge handbook of bounded rationality. (pp. 242–253). Routledge.
    PDF


  10. Koehler, K., Beckford, S. E., Thayer, E., Martin, A. R., Boron, J. B., & Stevens, J. R. (2021). Exercise shifts hypothetical food choices towards greater amounts and more immediate consumption. Nutrients, 13(2), 347.
    PDF Data R code OSF PsyArXiv OA


    2020

  11. Arce, W. & Stevens, J. R. (2020). Developing a computer-controlled treat dispenser for canine operant conditioning. Journal of Open Hardware, 4(1), 6.
    PDF Data R code GitHub YouTube OA



  12. Duque, J.F., Rasmussen, T., Rodriguez, A., & Stevens, J.R. (2020). The role of mesotocin on social bonding in pinyon jays. Ethology, 126, 165–175.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research OSF BioRxiv



    2019

  13. Koehler, K., Boron, J.B., Garvin, T.M., Bice, M.R., & Stevens, J.R. (2019). Differential relationship between physical activity and intake of added sugar and nutrient-dense foods: A cross-sectional analysis. Appetite, 120, 91-97.
    PDF
  14. Stevens, J.R. & Duque, J.F. (2019). Order matters: Alphabetizing in-text citations biases citation rates. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 26(3), 1020–1026.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Press Commentary OSF



  15. Thayer, E. and Stevens, J.R. (2019). Animal-assisted intervention. In J. Vonk & T.K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of animal cognition and behavior. New York: Springer.
    PDF


  16. Thayer, E.R. and Stevens, J.R. (2019). Human-animal interaction. In J. Vonk & T.K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of animal cognition and behavior. New York: Springer.
    PDF


    2018

  17. Duque, J.F., Leichner, W., Ahmann, H. & Stevens, J.R. (2018). Mesotocin influences pinyon jay prosociality. Biology Letters, 14(4), 20180105.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Press OSF Dryad



  18. Regenwetter, M., Cavagnaro, D., Popova, A., Guo, Y., Zwilling, C., Lim, S.-H., & Stevens, J.R. (2018). Heterogeneity and parsimony in intertemporal choice. Decision, 5(2), 63-94.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data


  19. Stevens, J.R. & Soh, L.-K. (2018). Predicting similarity judgments in intertemporal choice with machine learning. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 25(2), 627–635.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research OSF



  20. Stevens, J.R., Woike, J.K., Schooler, L.J., Lindner, S. & Pachur, T. (2018). Social contact patterns can buffer costs of forgetting in the evolution of cooperation. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 285(1880), 20180407.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code MATLAB code Reproducible Research OSF Dryad



    2017

  21. Duque, J.F. and Stevens, J.R. (2017). Cylinder task. In J. Vonk & T.K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of animal cognition and behavior. New York: Springer.
    PDF


  22. Stevens, J.R. (2017). Intertemporal choice and delayed gratification. In J. Call (Ed.), APA handbook of comparative psychology (pp. 535-552). Washington, D.C.: APA Press.
    PDF


  23. Stevens, J.R. (2017). Impulsivity: How risk and time influence decision making. New York: Springer.
    Amazon


  24. Stevens, J.R. (2017). The many faces of impulsivity. In J.R. Stevens (Ed.), Impulsivity: How risk and time influence decision making (pp. 1-6). New York: Springer.
    PDF


  25. Stevens, J.R. (2017). Replicability and reproducibility in comparative psychology. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 862.
    PDF Data R code OA


  26. Winke, T. & Stevens, J.R. (2017). Is cooperative memory special? The role of costly errors, context, and social network size when remembering cooperative actions. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 4, 52.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research OSF OA


    2016

  27. Duque, J.F. and Stevens, J.R. (2016). Voluntary food sharing in pinyon jays: The role of reciprocity and dominance. Animal Behaviour, 122, 135-144.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Dryad



  28. Mendelson, T.C., Fitzpatrick, C.L., Hauber, M.E., Pence, C.H., Rodriguez, R.L., Safran, R.J., Stern, C.A., Stevens, J.R. (2016). Cognitive phenotypes and the evolution of animal decisions. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 31, 850–859.
    PDF


  29. Stevens, J.R. (2016). Intertemporal similarity: Discounting as a last resort. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 29, 12-24.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research Press Dryad



  30. Stevens, J.R. and Duque, J.F. (2016). Psychology of reciprocal altruism. In T.K. Shackelford & V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of evolutionary psychological science. New York: Springer.
    PDF


  31. Stevens, J.R., Kennedy, B.A., Morale, D., and Burks, M. (2016). The domain specificity of intertemporal choice in pinyon jays. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 23, 915–921.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research Dryad



  32. Stevens, J.R., Marewski, J.N., Schooler, L.J., & Gilby, I.C. (2016). Reflections of the social environment in chimpanzee memory: Applying rational analysis beyond humans. Royal Society Open Science, 3, 160293.
    PDF Data R code Press Dryad OA


    2015

  33. Barron, A.B., Hebets, E.A., Cleland, T.A., Fitzpatrick, C.L., Hauber, M.E., Stevens, J.R. (2015). Embracing multiple definitions of learning. Trends in Neurosciences, 38, 405–407.
    PDF Supplementary materials

    2014

  34. Stevens, J.R. (2014). Evolutionary pressures on primate intertemporal choice. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 281, 20140499.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data R code Reproducible Research Press Dryad



  35. Pachur, T., Schooler, L.J., & Stevens, J.R. (2014). We’ll meet again: Revealing distributional and temporal patterns of social contact. PLoS ONE, 9, e86081.
    PDF Data Dryad OA


    2013

  36. Kaighobadi, F. & Stevens, J.R. (2013). Does fertility status influence impulsivity and risk taking in human females? Adaptive influences on intertemporal choice and risky decision making. Evolutionary Psychology, 11, 700-717.
    PDF Data R code Dryad OA


  37. Pachur, T, Schooler, L.J., & Stevens, J.R. (2013). When we meet again: Regularities in social contact dynamics reflected in memory and decision making. In R. Hertwig, U. Hoffrage, & the ABC Research Group (Eds.), Simple heuristics in a social world (pp. 199-224). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    PDF

  38. Stevens, J.R. (2013). The bounds of rationality and cognitive building blocks. Behavioral Ecology, 24, 13-14.
    PDF

  39. Stevens, J.R. & King, A.J. (2013). The lives of others: Social rationality in animals. In R. Hertwig, U. Hoffrage, & the ABC Research Group (Eds.), Simple heuristics in a social world (pp. 409-431). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    PDF

  40. Stevens, J.R., Pachur, T., & Schooler, L. J. (2013). Rational analysis of the adaptive and predictive nature of memory. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 2, 251-253.
    PDF


    2012

  41. Artinger, F., Fleischhut, N., Levanti, V., & Stevens, J.R. (2012). Cooperation in risky environments: decisions from experience in a stochastic social dilemma. Proceedings of the 34th Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 84-89). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
    PDF OA


  42. Gluck, K.A., McNamara, J.M., Brighton, H., Dayan, P., Kareev, Y., Krause, J., Kurzban, R., Selten, R., Stevens, J.R., Voelkl, B., & Wimsatt, W.C. (2012). Robustness in a variable environment. In P. Hammerstein & J.R. Stevens (Eds.), Evolution and the mechanisms of decision making. Ernst Strüngmann Forum Report (vol. 11, pp. 195-214). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    PDF

  43. Hammerstein, P. & Stevens, J.R. (2012). Evolution and the mechanisms of decision making. Ernst Strüngmann Forum Report (vol. 11). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    Amazon

  44. Hammerstein, P. & Stevens, J.R. (2012). Six reasons to evoke evolution in decision theory. In P. Hammerstein & J.R. Stevens (Eds.), Evolution and the mechanisms of decision making. Ernst Strüngmann Forum Report (vol. 11, pp. 1-17). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    PDF

  45. Stevens, A.N.P. & Stevens, J.R. (2012). Animal cognition. Nature Education Knowledge, 3, 1.
    OA


  46. Stevens, J.R. & Mühlhoff, N. (2012). Intertemporal choice in lemurs. Behavioural Processes, 89, 121-127.
    PDF Data R code Reproducible Research Movie Dryad


    2011

  47. Mühlhoff, N., Stevens, J.R., & Reader, S.M. (2011). Spatial discounting of food and social rewards in guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 68.
    PDF Data R code Reproducible Research Dryad OA



  48. Seed, A., Clayton, N., Carruthers, P., Dickinson, A., Glimcher, P.W., Güntürkün, O., Hampton, R.R., Kacelnik, A., Shanahan, M., Stevens, J.R., & Tebbich, S. (2011). Planning, memory, and decision making. In R. Menzel & J. Fischer (Eds.), Animal thinking: Contemporary issues in comparative cognition. Ernst Strüngmann Forum Report (vol. 8, pp. 121-147). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    PDF

  49. Stevens, J.R. (2011). Mechanisms for decisions about the future. In R. Menzel & J. Fischer (Eds.), Animal thinking: Contemporary issues in comparative cognition. Ernst Strüngmann Forum Report (vol. 8, pp. 93-104). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    PDF

  50. Stevens, J.R., Rosati, A.G., Heilbronner, S.R., & Mühlhoff, N. (2011). Waiting for grapes: Expectancy and delayed gratification in bonobos. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 24, 99-111.
    PDF Data R code Reproducible Research Movie Movie OA


  51. Stevens, J.R., Volstorf, J., Schooler, L.J., & Rieskamp, J. (2011). Forgetting constrains the emergence of cooperative decision strategies. Frontiers in Psychology, 1, 235.
    PDF Data R code Code Reproducible Research OA



  52. Volstorf, J., Rieskamp, J., & Stevens, J.R. (2011). The good, the bad, and the rare: Memory for partners in social interactions. PLoS ONE, 6, e18945.
    PDF Data OA


    2010

  53. Stevens, J.R. (2010). The challenges of understanding animal minds. Frontiers in Psychology, 1, 203.
    PDF OA


  54. Stevens, J.R. (2010). Donor payoffs and other-regarding preferences in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). Animal Cognition, 13, 663-670.
    PDF Data
  55. Stevens, J.R. (2010). Intertemporal choice. In M. Breed, & J. Moore (Eds.), Encyclopedia of animal behavior, vol. 2 (pp. 203-208). Oxford: Academic Press.
    PDF
  56. Stevens, J.R. (2010). Rational decision making in primates: The bounded and the ecological. In M.L. Platt & A.A. Ghazanfar (Eds.), Primate neuroethology (pp. 96-116). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    PDF

  57. Stevens, J.R. & Stephens, D.W. (2010). The adaptive nature of impulsivity. In G.J. Madden & W.K. Bickel (Eds.), Impulsivity: The behavioral and neurological science of discounting (pp. 361-387). Washington, D.C.: APA Press.
    PDF


    2009

  58. Rosati, A.G. & Stevens, J.R. (2009). Rational decisions: The adaptive nature of context-dependence choice. In S. Watanabe, A.P. Blaisdell, L. Huber, & A. Young (Eds.), Rational animals, irrational humans (pp. 101-117). Tokyo: Keio University Press.
    PDF

  59. Stevens, J.R. & Hauser, M.D. (2009). Social interaction effects on reward and cognitive abilities in monkeys. In L. Squire (Ed.), Encyclopedia of neuroscience, vol. 9 (pp.45-58). Oxford: Academic Press.
    PDF

  60. Straubinger, N., Cokely, E.T., & Stevens, J.R. (2009). The dynamics of development: Challenges for Bayesian rationality. Commentary in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32, 103-104.
    PDF


    2008

  61. Heilbronner, S.R., Rosati, A.G., Stevens, J.R., Hare, B. & Hauser, M.D. (2008). A fruit in the hand or two in the bush? Ecological pressures select for divergent risk preferences in chimpanzees and bonobos. Biology Letters, 4, 246-249.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data Press


  62. McElreath, R., Boyd, R., Gigerenzer, G., Glöckner, A., Hammerstein, P., Kurzban, R., Magen, S., Richerson, P., Robson, A., & Stevens, J.R. (2008). Individual decision making and the evolutionary roots of institutions. In C. Engel & W. Singer (Eds.), Better than conscious? Decision making, the human mind, and implications for institutions. Ernst Strüngmann Forum Report 1 (pp. 325-342). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    PDF

  63. Stevens, J.R. (2008). The evolutionary biology of decision making. In C. Engel & W. Singer (Eds.), Better than conscious? Decision making, the human mind, and implications for institutions. Ernst Strüngmann Forum Report 1 (pp. 285-304). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    PDF


  64. Stevens, J.R. & Stephens, D.W. (2008). Patience. Current Biology, 18, R11-12.
    PDF


    2007

  65. Barton, A., Mousavi, S., & Stevens, J.R. (2007). A statistical taxonomy and another "chance" for natural frequencies. Commentary in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 30, 255-256.
    PDF


  66. Rosati, A.G., Stevens, J.R., Hare, B. & Hauser, M.D. (2007). The evolutionary origins of human patience: Temporal preferences in chimpanzees, bonobos, and human adults. Current Biology, 17, 1663-1668.
    PDF Supplementary materials Movie Commentary Press


  67. Stevens, J.R., Wood, J.N., & Hauser, M.D. (2007). Quantity trumps number: Discrimination experiments in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) and common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Animal Cognition, 10, 429-437.
    PDF Data R code


    2006

  68. Rosati, A.G., Stevens, J.R., and Hauser, M.D. (2006). The effect of handling time on temporal discounting in two New World primates. Animal Behaviour, 71, 1379-1387.
    PDF Data


  69. Stephens, D.W., McLinn, C.M., & Stevens, J.R. (2006). Effects of temporal clumping and payoff accumulation on impulsiveness and cooperation. Behavioural Processes, 71, 29-40.
    PDF Data


    2005

  70. Stevens, J.R. and Hauser, M.D. (2005). Cooperative brains: Psychological constraints on the evolution of altruism. In S. Dehaene, J.-R. Duhamel, M.D. Hauser, & G. Rizolatti (Eds.), From monkey brain to human brain (pp. 159-187). Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
    PDF

  71. Stevens, J.R., Cushman, F.A., and Hauser, M.D. (2005). Evolving the psychological mechanisms for cooperation. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 36, 499-518.
    PDF

  72. Stevens, J.R., Hallinan, E.V., and Hauser, M.D. (2005). The ecology and evolution of patience in two New World primates. Biology Letters, 1, 223-226.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data Press


  73. Stevens, J.R., Rosati, A.G., Ross, K.R., and Hauser, M.D. (2005). Will travel for food: Spatial discounting and reward magnitude in two New World monkeys. Current Biology, 15, 1855-1860.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data Press


    2004

  74. Stevens, J.R. (2004). The selfish nature of generosity: Harassment and food sharing in primates. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 271, 451-456.
    PDF Data Press


  75. Stevens, J.R. and Cushman, F.A. (2004). Cognitive constraints on reciprocity and tolerated scrounging. Commentary in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 27, 569-570.
    PDF

  76. Stevens, J.R. and Gilby, I.C. (2004). A conceptual framework for non-kin food sharing: Timing and currency of benefits. Animal Behaviour, 67, 603-614.
    PDF

  77. Stevens, J.R. and Hauser, M.D. (2004). Why be nice? Psychological constraints on the evolution of cooperation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8, 60-65.
    PDF

  78. Stevens, J.R. and Stephens, D.W. (2004). The economic basis of cooperation: Trade-offs between selfishness and generosity. Behavioral Ecology, 15, 255-261.
    PDF Data


    2002

  79. Stephens, D.W., McLinn, C.M., & Stevens, J.R. (2002). Discounting and reciprocity in an Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma. Science, 298, 2216-2218.
    PDF Supplementary materials Data Commentary Press


  80. Stevens, J.R. and Stephens, D.W. (2002). Food sharing: A model of manipulation by harassment. Behavioral Ecology, 13, 393-400.
    PDF


    2001

  81. Stephens, D.W. and Stevens, J.R. (2001). A simple spatially-explicit ideal-free distribution: A model and an experiment. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 49, 220-234.
    PDF


    Before 2000

  82. Do, L.H., Gooch, R.D., Stevens, J.R., & Holmes, W.C. (1996). New county records of Botrychium lunarioides in Texas. American Fern Journal, 86, 28-31.
    PDF

  83. Holmes, W.C., Morgan, T.L., Stevens, J.R., Gooch, R.D., & Singhurst, J.R. (1996). Comments on the distribution of Botrychium lunarioides (Ophioglossaceae) in Texas. Phytologia, 80, 280-283.
  84. Morgan, T.L., Stevens, J.R., & Holmes, W.C. (1996). First report of Wolffiella lingulata (Lemnaceae) in western Mexico. SIDA, 17, 289-290.

Invited Presentations

Conference Presentations

Grants and Fellowships

  • 2000 Animal Behavior Society Student Research Grant, "Manipulative mutualism: the effects of harassment on food sharing" ($500)
  • 2000 Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Professional Meeting Fellowship, University of Minnesota, "Manipulative mutualism: the effects of harassment on food sharing" ($225)
  • 2000 Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Summer Research Fellowship, University of Minnesota, "Manipulative mutualism: the effects of harassment on food sharing" ($3000)
  • 2000-2001 L.S.B. Leakey Foundation General Grant, "The effects of harassment on food sharing in primates" ($10,000)
  • 2001 Alexander P. and Lydia Anderson Fellowship, University of Minnesota "The behavioral ecology of food sharing" ($5,970)
  • 2002 Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Professional Meeting Fellowship, University of Minnesota, "Cooperation when generosity is cheap: alternatives to the Prisoner's Dilemma" ($600)
  • 2002-2003 Doctoral Disseratation Fellowship, University of Minnesota, "The behavioral ecology of food sharing" ($14,000)
  • 2003-2006 National Institutes of Health NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship, "Psychological constraints on altruism and reciprocity" (F32-MH067408-01, $118,000)
  • 2004 International Society for Behavioral Ecology Travel Award, "The selfish nature of generosity: harassment and food sharing in primates" ($750)
  • 2007 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft International Conference and Lecture Trips, "Temporal discounting in humans and apes" (1200 euro or $1600)
  • 2008 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft International Conference and Lecture Trips, "The ecological rationality of patience and risk sensitivity in Pan" (1300 euro or $2000)
  • 2009 Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst International Conference Trips "Reflections of the social environment in the primate mind?" (775 euro or $1100)
  • 2010 Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst International Conference Trips "Memory interference constrains the evolution of cooperation" (680 euro or $815)
  • 2010-2011 Science of Virtue Grant, "The heuristics of virtue: integrating virtue ethics and the science of heuristics" Co-PI with E.T. Cokely, A. Feltz, J.N. Marewski, F. Artinger, N. Fleischhut, M. Keller, and G. Gigerenzer ($200,000)
  • 2011-2015 National Science Foundation, "A quantitative analysis of heuristics and discounting models of intertemporal choice" Co-PI with Michel Regenwetter (SES-1062045, $528,916)
  • 2011-2014 TransCoop Grant from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, "A quantitative analysis of heuristics and discounting models of intertemporal choice" PI with Michel Regenwetter (50,000 euro or $64,500)
  • 2012-2013 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Planning Grant for the Pathway to Interdisciplinary Research Centers program, Co-PI with Leilani Arthurs ($9,989)
  • 2012-2014 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Arts & Science Interdisciplinary Seed Grant, "Environmental decisions in an uncertain world", Co-PI with Leilani Arthurs ($6,579)
  • 2013 European Science Foundation, CompCog Discussion Meeting, "Concepts and methodologies in the field of intertemporal choices", Co-PI with Friederike Range (8,000 euro or $10,460)
  • 2013 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Faculty Seed Grant, "Developing an animal model of self-control", ($9,968)
  • 2014-2015 Nebraska EPSCoR FIRST Award, "Hormonal mechanisms of cooperation", ($19,927)
  • 2014-2015 National Science Foundation REU Supplement, "A quantitative analysis of heuristics and discounting models of intertemporal choice" Co-PI with Michel Regenwetter (SES-1062045, $6,000)
  • 2015-2016 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Layman Award, "Hormonal influences on social bonding and cooperation", ($10,000)
  • 2016 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior Seed Grant, "Stress as a mediator between exposure to nature and decision making", ($4,600)
  • 2016 University of Nebraska Food for Health Collaboration Initiative Planning Grant , "Understanding the effect of exercise on future food intake: The role of behavioral, physiological, and neural mechanisms", Co-PI with Karsten Koehler (PI), Matthew Bice, Ronald Bulbulian, Jeffrey French, Christopher Gustafson, Maital Neta, Scott Stoltenberg ($20,000)
  • 2017-2021 National Science Foundation, "Similarity as a process model of intertemporal choice", PI with Leen-Kiat Soh (SES-1658837, $655,373)
  • 2017-2018 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Arts & Sciences International Research Collaboration Award, "Oxytocin as a hormonal mechanism of prosociality in dogs and wolves", ($9,964)
  • 2017-2019 University of Nebraska Food for Health Collaboration Initiative Seed Grant , "Understanding the effect of exercise on future food intake: The role of behavioral, physiological, and neural mechanisms", Co-PI with Karsten Koehler (PI), Matthew Bice, Ronald Bulbulian, Jeffrey French, Christopher Gustafson, Maital Neta, Scott Stoltenberg ($150,000)
  • 2018-2019 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Arts & Sciences Partnership Seed Funding Grant, "Predicting dog training success", ($9,958)
  • 2019-2020 Great Plains IDeA-CTR Pilot Program, “Age-related differences in food choices and appetite regulation in the context of exercise”, co-PI with Julie Boron (PI), Karsten Koehler, and Cary Savage, ($73,250)
  • 2019 Great Plains IDeA-CTR Vouchers for Core Facilities, “Exercise and temporal food choices” PI with Karsten Koehler ($4,400)
  • 2020-2021 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Maude Hammond Fling Faculty Research Fellowship, “Assessing numerical discrimination in dogs”, PI with Mike Dodd ($10,000)

Teaching Experience

  • Teaching assistant, General Biology, Biol 1009--Biology, University of Minnesota (1997, 1998)
  • Teaching assistant, Introduction to Animal Behavior, EEB 3111/Biol 3411--Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior/Biology, University of Minnesota (1998, 1999, 2001)
  • Teaching assistant, Behavioral Ecology, EEB 5325/7--Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota (1999, 2000, 2002)
  • Teaching assistant, Evolution of Social Behavior, EEB 5321--Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota (2000)
  • Web and classroom assistant, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Psy 4011--Psychology, University of Minnesota (2000)
  • Teaching fellow, Evolution of Human Nature, Science B-29--Harvard University (2003)
  • Discussion leader, Advances in Behavioral Economics--Harvard University (Fall 2005)
  • Lecturer, Psychology of Economic Decision Making, Psych 1104--Harvard University (Spring 2006)
  • Instructor, Evolution, Behavior, and Society, Psyc 270--University of Nebraska (2011-2016, 2018, 2020)
  • Instructor, Psychology of Decision Making, Psyc 961--University of Nebraska (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2020)
  • Instructor, Learning Processes, Psyc 461/861--University of Nebraska (2013-2017)
  • Instructor, Perspectives in Psychology, Psyc 440/840--University of Nebraska (2013-2016, 2018-2020)
  • Instructor, Animal Learning & Cognition, Psyc 461/861--University of Nebraska (2019)

Summer Schools and Graduate/Undergraduate Workshops

  • 2007 "Evolutionary perspectives on decision making", International Max Planck Research School: LIFE Seminar Berlin, Germany
  • 2008 "The evolution of ecological rationality", Summer Institute on Bounded Rationality, Berlin, Germany
  • 2009-2011 "Darwinian decision making", Summer Institute on Bounded Rationality, Berlin, Germany
  • 2013, 2015, 2016 "An introduction to using R", University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2016 "The psychology of decision making", College of Business Administration Honors Academy Workshop, UNL

Guest Lectures

  • 1998 "A game theoretical approach to fighting and assessment", University of Minnesota--Evolution of Social Behavior: EEB 5321
  • 1999 "Competition and fighting", University of Minnesota--Introduction to Animal Behavior: EEB 3111
  • 1999-2000 "Foraging and territoriality", University of Minnesota--Behavioral Ecology: EEB 5325/7
  • 2000 "Non-kin cooperation", University of Minnesota--Evolution of Social Behavior: EEB 5321
  • 2000 "Cooperation, manipulation, and cognition", University of Minnesota--Evolution of Cognition: EEB 8980
  • 2002 "Evolution of Sex", University of Minnesota--Behavioral Ecology: EEB 5327
  • 2002 "Cognitive Ecology", University of Minnesota--Behavioral Ecology: EEB 5327
  • 2002 "Careers in Animal Behavior", University of Minnesota--Biology Colloquium: Biol 1020
  • 2003 "Cooperative minds: the evolutionary psychology of altruism", Harvard University--Intro. to Psychology: Psych 1
  • 2003 "Games people play: human psychology and economics", Mount Ida College--Global Scientific Issues: NS 303
  • 2005 "Cognitive constraints on reciprocity", Harvard University--Evolution and Social Behavior: Phil 252
  • 2007 "Evolutionary perspectives on decision making", International Max Planck Research School--LIFE Seminar
  • 2017-2018 "Animal intelligence", University of Nebraska-Lincoln--Life in the Universe: Astronomy 117
  • 2018 "Animal cognition", Nebraska Wesleyan University---How Animals Think
  • 2018-2019 "Introduction to dog cognition", Nebraska Wesleyan University---Dogs and People
  • 2019 "Dog cognition", University of Nebraska-Lincoln--Introduction to Companion Animals: Animal Science 251
  • 2019 "Using machine learning to study decision making", University of Nebraska-Lincoln---Introduction to Informatics: Computer Science and Computer Engineering 100
  • 2020 "Canine-human interaction", University of Nebraska-Lincoln---Fundamentals of Animal Biology and Industry: Animal Science 100

Theses Advised

  • Elizabeth Hallinan--"Temporal discounting in two New World primates, the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) and the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)." (senior thesis, Department of Biology, Harvard University--2003-2004)
  • Alexandra Rosati--"Context-dependent discounting in two New World primates, the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) and the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)." (senior thesis, Department of Psychology, Harvard University--2004-2005) Winner of Hoopes Thesis Award, Psychology Faculty Thesis Award.
  • Sarah Heilbronner--"The evolution of risk-sensitive preferences in nonhuman primates." (Department of Psychology, Harvard University--2005-2007) Winner of Psychology Faculty Thesis Award.
  • Nelly Mühlhoff--"Spacial discounting of food and social partners in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)." (Diploma/Masters thesis, Humboldt-Universität--2009-2010)
  • Jenny Volstorf--"The role of memory in cooperation." (PhD thesis, International Max Planck Research School on Adapting Behavior in a Fundamentally Uncertain World--2008-2012)
  • Tim Winke--"The role of costly errors in cooperative memory." (Bachelors thesis, Universität Bayreuth--2010-2011)
  • Whitney Leichner--"Hormonal mechanisms of non-kin cooperation: A study of the effects of mesotocin on prosocial behavior in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus).'' (honor's thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln---2014-2015)
  • Molly Shane--"Nature's effect on stress and decision making." (honor’s thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln---2015-2016)
  • Tyler Stading--"Naturally stressed: The effect of nature exposure on stress physiology and decision making." (honor’s thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln---2015-2016)
  • Juan Duque--"Patterns of behavioral and physiological consistency in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyancephalus)." (PhD thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln---2012-2019)
  • Francine Goh--"Social influences on similarity judgments and intertemporal choice." (Master's thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln---2017-2019)
  • Elise Thayer--"Effects of human-animal interactions on affect and cognition." (Master's thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln---2018-2020)

Outreach and Science Communication

Professional Service and Development

  • 1999-2000 Student representative for departmental seminar committee, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota
  • 1999-2000 Student representative for Mechanisms of Behavior faculty searches, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota
  • 1999 Participant in TA Web Certification, TAWEB 103--Digital Media Center, Academic and Distributed Computing Services, Center for Teaching and Learning Services, University of Minnesota
  • 2000 Co-author curriculum for Introduction to Animal Behavior Laboratory, EEB 3411--Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota
  • 2000 Organizer of Biological Basis of Behavior Seminar, EEB 8360--Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota
  • 2002 Participant in Preparing Future Faculty Retreat--Center for Teaching and Learning Services, University of Minnesota
  • 2004 Workshop leader for Mind, Brain, and Behavior Senior Thesis Workshops, Harvard University
  • 2077 Organizer for MPI Workshop on Inferences and Preferences in Humans and Other Animals, MPI for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
  • 2007 Co-organizer of Workshop on Lifespan Development of Heuristics and Evolutionary Perspectives, International Max Planck Research School: LIFE
  • 2008-2011 Faculty for Summer Institute on Bounded Rationality in Psychology and Economics, Berlin, Germany
  • 2010 Co-organizer (with Christian Agrillo) of symposium "Where, when, and how many? The representation of space, time and number in animals", European Conference of Behavioral Biology Ferrara, Italy
  • 2010-2011 Associate researcher in Center for Integrative Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
  • 2010-2017 Associate editor of Frontiers in Psychology
  • 2010-2017 Editor-in-chief of Frontiers in Comparative Psychology
  • 2011 Co-organizer (with Peter Hammerstein) of Ernst Strüngmann Forum on Evolving the Mechanisms of Decision Making Frankfurt, Germany
  • 2011-2012 Participant in UNL's Research Development Fellows Program
  • 2011 Participant in NESCent working group on How Does Cognition Evolve?
  • 2012 Co-organizer (with Michel Regenwetter) of Workshop on Testing Theories of Choice Behavior, Berlin, Germany
  • 2013 Co-organizer (with Friederike Range) of CompCog Workshop on Concepts and Methodologies in the Field of Intertemporal Choices, Vienna, Austria
  • 2013-2014 Participant in NESCent working group on Evolution of Decision Making
  • 2016 Organizer of Nebraska Symposium on Motivation on Impulsivity: How Time and Risk Influence Decision Making, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2018-present Program coordinator of Neuroscience and Behavior graduate program, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2019 Co-organizer of Nebraska Symposium on Motivation on Nature and Psychology: How the Natural World Shapes Our Cognition, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2018-present Department of Psychology Executive Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2019-present Information Technology Systems Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2019 Invited speaker for Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research Knowledge Seminar, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2020-present Editorial board of Animal Behavior and Cognition

Honors and Awards

  • 1993-1996 Dean's Academic Honor List (Baylor University)
  • 1993 Top 100 Freshmen (Baylor University)
  • 1995-1996 Folmar Undergraduate Scholarship in Biology ($1000--Baylor University)
  • 1995 Who's Who Among American College Students (Baylor University)
  • 1996 Outstanding Senior Thesis in Environmental Studies (Baylor University)
  • 1996 Outstanding Senior in Biology, (Baylor University)
  • 1996 Bob Gardner Memorial Research Grant in Biology ($500--Baylor University)
  • 1996 Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society (Baylor University)
  • 1997 School of Biological Sciences Research Assistantship Award (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
  • 2001 College of Biological Sciences Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (University of Minnesota)
  • 2003 Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning Certificate of Distinction in Teaching (Harvard University).
  • 2016 College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
  • 2017 UNL Parents Association Certificate of Recognition for Contributions to Students (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
  • 2020 Susan J. Rosowski Associate Professorship (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

Software Development

  • Contributor to R package prereg, which provides R Markdown templates that facilitate authoring preregistrations of scientific studies in PDF format.

Professional Organizations

Ad-hoc Referee