Doctor in cognitive science and Scientific director at Lund University Primate Research Station Furuvik.

Besides a general interest in human evolution and primate behaviour the work is focused on questions regarding great apes' capacities for representation. This has been addressed in studies of e.g. gorillas' and bonobos' understanding of pictures, and currently in various new projects. See the tab "Projects."

Publications that can not be found below are listed, and can sometimes be downloaded, here.

I teach on the course Animal Cognition and act as Head of Department of Philosophy.

Books (1)

• Persson, T. (2008). Pictorial Primates: A Search for Iconic Abilities in Great Apes. Lund University Cognitive Studies, 136. Cognitive Science. Dissertation.
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Articles (16)

• Cabak Rédei, A., Skoglund, P. & Persson, T. (2018). Applying cartosemiotics to rock art : an example from Aspeberget, Sweden. Social Semiotics. Taylor & Francis.
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• Persson, T., Sauciuc, G.-A. & Madsen, E. (2018). Spontaneous cross-species imitation in interaction between chimpanzees and zoo visitors. Primates, 59, 19-29. Springer.
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• Anikin, A. & Persson, T. (2017). Nonlinguistic vocalizations from online amateur videos for emotion research : A validated corpus. Behavior Research Methods, 49, 758-771. The Psychonomic Society.
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• Anikin, A., Persson, T. & Arnling Bååth, R. (2017). Human Non-linguistic Vocal Repertoire : Call Types and Their Meaning. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. Springer.
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• Lind, J., Lönnberg, S., Persson, T. & Enquist, M. (2017). Time does not help orangutans Pongo abelii solve physical problems. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. Frontiers.
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• Sauciuc, G.-A., Persson, T., Bååth, R., Bobrowicz, K. & Osvath, M. (2016). Affective forecasting in an orangutan : predicting the hedonic outcome of novel juice mixes. Animal Cognition, 19, 1081-1092. Springer.
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• Osvath, M. & Persson, T. (2015). What’s in a name? Commentary: A crisis in comparative psychology: Where have all the undergraduates gone. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. Frontiers.
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• Madsen, E. & Persson, T. (2013). Contagious yawning in domestic dog puppies (Canis lupus familiaris): The effect of ontogeny and emotional closeness on low-level imitation in dogs. Animal Cognition, 16, 233-240. Springer.
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• Madsen, E., Persson, T., Sayehli, S., Lenninger, S. & Sonesson, G. (2013). Chimpanzees show a developmental increase in susceptibility to contagious yawning: A test of the effect of ontogeny and emotional closeness on yawn contagion. PLoS ONE, 8. Public Library of Science.
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• Osvath, M. & Persson, T. (2013). Great apes can defer exchange: a replication with different results suggesting future oriented behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 4. Frontiers.
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• Thunström, M., Persson, T. & Björklund, M. (2013). Integration of a hand-reared chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) infant into a social group of conspecifics. Primates, 54, 13-19. Springer.
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• Zlatev, J., Madsen, E., Lenninger, S., Persson, T., Sayehli, S., van de Weijer, J. & Sonesson, G. (2013). Understanding communicative intentions and semiotic vehicles by children and chimpanzees. Cognitive Development, 28, 312-329. Elsevier.
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• Osvath, M., Persson, T. & Gärdenfors, P. (2012). Foresight, function representation, and social intelligence in great apes (Commentary on K. Vaesen “The cognitive basis of human tool use”). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 35, 234-235. Cambridge University Press.
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• Osvath, M., Persson, T. & Gärdenfors, P. (2012). Foresight, function representation, and social intelligence in the great apes. The Behavioral and brain sciences, 35, 234. Cambridge University Press.
• Zlatev, J., Persson, T. & Gärdenfors, P. (2005). Bodily mimesisas “the missing link” in human cognitive evolution. LUCS: Lund University Cognitive Studies, 121. Lund University Cognitive Studies.
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• Zlatev, J., Persson, T. & Gärdenfors, P. (2005). Triadic bodily mimesis is the difference. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28, 720-720. Cambridge University Press.
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Book chapters (3)

• Persson, T. & Lindblom, J. (2012). Djurkognition. In Allwood, J. & Jensen, M. (Eds.) (pp. 325-336). Studentlitteratur AB.
• Persson, T. (2009). Tests of true pictorial competence in chimpanzees: The case of drawings. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Persson, T. (2008). Primates, a cog in cognitive science. Bokförlaget Nya Doxa.

Conference contributions (23)

• Sauciuc, G.-A., Persson, T. & Madsen, E. (2017). The social side of imitation in human evolution and development : Shared intentionality and imitation games in chimpanzees and 6-month old infants. In Arweström Jansson, A., Axelsson, A., Andreasson, R. & Billing, E. (Eds.) Skövde University Studies in Informatics (pp. 21-23), 2017. University of Skövde.
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• Persson, T. (2014). Are you indicating (for me)? The role of stimulus relations in pointing behaviours.
• Persson, T. (2014). How do great apes explain their world, and how do we explain them?.
• Persson, T. (2014). What we must do in order to test pictorial competence in animals.
• Osvath, M., Sauciuc, G.-A., Balkenius, C. & Persson, T. (2013). Gustatory imagination in an orangutan.
• Sonesson, G., Lenninger, S., Persson, T. & van de Weijer, J. (2013). The mirror image, the video clip, and the real world.
• Persson, T. (2012). What we must do in order to test pictorial competence in animals.
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• Zlatev, J., Lenninger, S., Madsen, E., Persson, T., Sayehli, S. & Sonesson, G. (2012). Understanding Communicative Signs by Children and Chimpanzees.
• Madsen, E., Zlatev, J., Persson, T., Lenninger, S., Sayehli, S. & Sonesson, G. (2011). A Developmental Increase in Susceptibility to Contagious Yawning in Chimpanzees: An Expression of Empathy?.
• Thunström, M., Persson, T. & Björklund, M. (2011). Integration of a Hand-Reared Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Infant into a Social Group of Conspecifics.
• Zlatev, J., Lenninger, S., Sayehli, S., Madsen, E., Sonesson, G. & Persson, T. (2011). Understanding Communicative Signs by Children and Chimpanzees.
• Zlatev, J., Sonesson, G., Persson, T., Lenninger, S., Sayehli, S. & Madsen, E. (2011). Intersubjectivity and Sign Use in Children and Chimpanzees.
• Osvath, M. & Persson, T. (2010). Chimpanzees and Orangutans Plan for Future Exchange.
• Osvath, M. & Persson, T. (2010). Lund University Primate Research Station.
• Persson, T. (2010). Is Cognitive Research Enrichment for Apes? Can Cognitive Research Add to Ape Wellfare?.
• Persson, T. (2010). Testing Pictorial Competence in Great Apes.
• Persson, T. (2010). Testing Pictorial Competence in Nonhuman Primates.
• Persson, T. (2007). How can Pictorial Competence in Great Apes be Tested?.
• Persson, T. (2007). Tests of Pictorial Competence in Great Apes.
• Persson, T. (2006). Is Referential Understanding of Pictures in Non-enculturated Great Apes Possible?.
• Persson, T. (2005). Teaching Matching to Naïve Gorillas.
• Zlatev, J., Persson, T. & Gärdenfors, P. (2004). Can Mimesis Provide the Missing Link to Language?.
• Zlatev, J. & Persson, T. (2003). Can Mimesis Provide the Missing Link to Language?.

Reviews (1)

• Persson, T. (2013). Bonobon och tio guds bud. På jakt efter humanism bland primater. Respons. Tidskriften Respons.
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Articles in specialist publications and popular press (4)

• Sauciuc, G.-A. & Persson, T. (2018). Chimpanzees like to copy human visitors to the zoo - Ig Nobel prize. The Conversation.
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• Sauciuc, G.-A., Persson, T. & Osvath, M. (2016). Ape abilities. Pan European networks. Government, 143-145.
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• Persson, T. (2013). Se människan!. Axess. Axess Publishing AB.
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• Persson, T. & Gärdenfors, P. (2008). Varför har vi så stora ögonvitor?. Forskning & framsteg. Stiftelsen Forskning & Framsteg.

Newspaper articles (5)

• Persson, T. (2011). Do animals have imagination? Using pictures to study the representational abilities of great apes. The Irish Times.
• Persson, T. (2011). Do animals have imagination? Using pictures to study the representational abilities of great apes. El Pais.
• Persson, T. (2011). Do animals have imagination? Using pictures to study the representational abilities of great apes. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
• Persson, T. (2007). Doktor Dolittles återkomst. Svenska Dagbladet. Svenska Dagbladet.
• Persson, T. (2004). Människan bäst i världen på att apa efter. Svenska Dagbladet. Svenska Dagbladet.