I am a comparative psychologist, studying cognition and communication in humans, other primates, dogs, wolves, lions, tigers, pumas and elephants.

Previously, I have worked on dolphin meta-cognition (theory of mind) and human kinship and altruism. I completed my doctorate at University of St Andrews in 2011 on nonverbal referential communication in bonobos, chimps and orangutans.

In Lund I am involved in studies of low-level imitative abilities (such as contagious yawning) in children, chimpanzees, canids, elephants and big cats. I also work on a project about social bonding and imitation and its influence on social cognition in humans & chimpanzees, as well as a project on the evolution of musicality, which examines synchronisation behaviours and rhythm perception in chimpanzees.

I collaborate with a number of sites, e.g. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Wolf Park, Exotic Feline Rescue Center, and Adventures with Elephants, Knysna Elephant Park
For more, incl papers: Elainie.dk

Research

Research portal (Lund University)

Other tasks and qualifications

• C.V. (PDF)
• PhD Thesis Abstract (PDF)