Psychology

Marina Davila-Ross

Dr. Marina Davila-Ross

Senior Lecturer

Psychology

Marina.Davila-Ross@port.ac.uk

Profile

Background

Davila with Ape

I study the evolution of communication, emotion, and cognition, by comparing humans with apes in the wild, in sanctuaries, and in captivity.  My current and recent projects focus on laughter in apes and humans, imitation, emotional intelligence, unfairness and morality, and long distance communication.  I use a comparative and phylogenetic approach to reconstruct the evolution of human behaviours and abilities as well as an ethological and acoustic approach to gain more insights into natural social interactions of apes and humans.  

Current and most recent field study sites: In Borneo (Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and Sepilok National Park) and in Zambia (Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage)

In 2007, I joined the Department as a postdoctoral research fellow and became a lecturer in Comparative Psychology three years later.  I am a member of Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology.

Teaching responsibilities

I am the coordinator of a two-week field course in Borneo on Primate Behaviour and Ecology, as well as Year 3 Psychology Research Projects. I also contribute to lectures in Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Key Ideas in Human and Animal Psychology, Biological and Cognitive Psychology and Individual Differences and Psychometrics.

Research interests

  • Laughter and smiles in apes and humans
  • The evolution of language and cross-modal communication
  • Mimicry and the evolution of emotional contagion, empathy, and emotional intelligence
  • Acoustics and facial expressions in apes and humans
  • Competition and cooperation
  • Development, cross-cultural research, and phylogeny
  • Interactions between apes, humans, and social robots
  • Conservation and captive management of nonhuman primates

Recent Publications

 

More recent publications

 

Davila Ross, M., Allcock, B., Thomas, C., and Bard K.A. 2011 Aping expressions? Chimpanzees produce distinct laugh types when responding to laughter of others. Emotion, Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0022594 (pdf)

Publications before 2006

  • Davila Ross, M. 2005 Der Stammbaum der Orang Utans. Tiergarten Rundbrief 105: 17-20.
  • Davila Ross, M.  2005. Orangutan play in Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre and Sepilok National Park. Report for Sabah Wildlife Department and Economic Planning Unit, Malaysia.
  • Davila Ross, M. 2005. The long calls of wild male orangutans: A phylogenetic approach. Borneo Research Bulletin. 36.
  • Davila Ross, M.  2004 Die Rufe der Orangutans. Schönbrunner Tiergarten-Journal 44: 16-18.
  • Davila Ross, M.  2003 Orangutan long calls: An evolutionary approach. Proceedings of Zookunft Tagung, 14.-16.2.2003, Osnabrück, Germany.
  • Davila Ross, M.  2001. Mammals in Batang Ai National Park. Report for Sarawak Biodiversity Centre and Economic Planning Unit, Malaysia.

Conference presentations

  • Davila Ross, M.  (2012). Invited Speaker. Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, 26-28.01.2012 (San Diego, USA).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2011). Invited Speaker. Laughter in apes of different ages, social groups, and species. ‘Mini-conference’ on enculturation, organized by Prof. Sally Boysen (The Ohio State University) and Prof. Kim Bard (University of Portsmouth). University of Portsmouth, 15.6.2011 (Portsmouth, UK).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2011). Just aping around? The role of laughter and laughing faces in social communication of great apes. Research Seminar at Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 4.4.2011 (Hannover, Germany).
  • Davila Ross, M., Owren, M. J., and Zimmermann, E. (2010). Invited Speaker; Reconstructing the evolution of laughter in great apes and humans. International Symposium “Evolution of Emotional Communication: from Sounds in Nonhuman Mammals to Speech and Music in Man”. Wissenschaftszentrum der Universität Ulm, 29.4-1.5.2010 (Ulm, Germany).
  • Davila Ross, M. and Zimmermann, E. (2009). Plenary Speaker; Towards the evolution of laughter: A comparative approach. The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals: In Honour of Charles Darwin’s 200th Birthday. Zentrum fuer interdisziplinaere Forschung, Bielefeld University, 4.-5.11.2009 (Bielefeld, Germany).
  • Murray, J.C., Canamero, L., Bard, K.A., Davila Ross, M., and Thorsteinsson, K. (2009) The influence of social interaction on the perception of emotional expression: A case study with a robot head, FIRA RoboWorld Congress 16.-20.8.2009 (Incheon, Korea).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2008). From Joy to joy: A study on the occurrence of emotional contagion for positive displays in infant and juvenile great apes. 22nd Conference of the International Society of Primatology 3.-8.8.2008 (Edinburgh, UK). Primate Eye (Special Issue) # 282.
  • Davila Ross, M., Menzler, S., and Zimmermann, E. (2008). Rapid open-mouth face mimicry in orangutan social play. Biennal International Conference on Infant Studies, 27.-29.3.2008 (Vancouver, Canada).
  • Davila Ross, M., Menzler, S., and Zimmermann, E. (2007). Rapid open-mouth face mimicry in orangutan social play. BPS Seminar: Gestural and Vocal Expression of Emotion, 24.9.2007 (Portsmouth, UK).
  • Davila Ross, M. Förderreuther, B., Owren, M. J., and Zimmermann, E (2006). “Vocal laughter” in great apes: A phylogenetic approach. 10. Tagung der Gesellschaft für Primatologie, 7.-8.12.2006 (Leipzig, Germany). Primate Report 73-1: 11-12.
  • Davila Ross, M., Förderreuther, B., Owren, M. J., and Zimmermann, E. (2006). Laughter in great apes. Annual Meeting of the International Society for Research on Emotion, 6.-10.8.2006 (Atlanta, USA). p. 72.
  • Davila Ross, M., Menzler, S., and Zimmermann, E. (2006). Do playmates match play faces in great ape dyadic play? 21st Conference of the International Society of Primatology, 25.-30.6.2006 (Entebbe, Uganda). Int. J. Primatol. 27 (S1) # 357.
  • Davila Ross, M., Förderreuther, B., and Zimmermann, E. (2006). Laughter in great apes. 21st Conference of the International Society of Primatology, 25.-30.6.2006 (Entebbe, Uganda). Int. J. Primatol. 27 (S1) # 35.
  • Davila Ross, M., and Geissmann, T. (2005). Orangutan long call diversity: a phylogenetic approach. 5th Göttinger Freilandtage, 13-16.12.2005 (Göttingen, Germany). Primate Report 72-1 (Special issue): 17-18.
  • Davila Ross, M., and Zimmermann, E. (2005). Play signalling and social rules in orangutan play. 1st Conference of the European Federation for Primatology (EFP), 9.-12.8.2005 (Göttingen, Germany). Primate Report 72: 80-81.
  • Davila Ross, M., and Geissmann, T. (2004). Biphonation in orangutan long calls. 20th Conference of the International Society of Primatology, 22.-28.8.2004 (Torino, Italy). Folia Primatologica 75, Supplement 1: 368-369.
  • Davila Ross, M., Zimmermann, E., and Geissmann, T. (2004). Differences between orangutan (Primates: Pongo) populations based on long call analysis. 97th Annual conference of Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft, 31.5.-4.6.2004 (Rostock, Germany). p. 169.
  • Davila Ross, M. (2003). The long calls of wild male orangutans. 8th Conference of the German Primate Society, 4.-5.10.2003 (Leipzig, Germany). Folia Primatologica 75.
  • Davila Ross, M. (2003). The long calls of wild male orangutans. Zookunft Tagung, 14.-16.2.2003 (Osnabrück, Germany). 

Seminar presentations

  • Davila Ross, M. (2009). Approaching the evolution of laughter ─ acoustics, imitation, and self-management. Research Seminar at Department of Anthropology, University of Durham, 2.12.2009 (Durham, UK).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2007). The evolution of laughter in great apes and humans. Research Seminar at Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, 2.10.2007 (Portsmouth, UK).
  • Davila Ross, M., Menzler, S., and Zimmermann, E. (2007). Rapid open-mouth face mimicry in orangutan social play. BPS Seminar: Gestural and Vocal Expression of Emotion, 24.9.2007 (Portsmouth, UK).
  • Davila Ross, M., Förderreuther, B., and Zimmermann, E. (2006). Acoustic Communication of Emotions: Laughter in great apes and humans. DFG Seminar:  Acoustic Communication of Emotions in Nonhuman Mammals and Man: Production, Perception and Neuronal Processing. Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Leipzig, Germany).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2005). Self-handicapping in young orangutan play. Seminar at Sabah Wildlife Department (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2005). Captive management of infant and juvenile orangutans in Sepilok. Seminar at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (Sandakan, Malaysia)
  • Davila Ross, M. (2004). Long-distance communication and conservation management of wild orangutans. Seminar at Allwetterzoo Münster (Münster, Germany).
  • Davila Ross, M., Förderreuther, B., and Zimmermann, E. (2003). Laughter in great apes and humans: A phylogenetic approach. DFG Seminar: Acoustic Communication of Emotions in Nonhuman Mammals and Man: Production, Perception and Neuronal Processing, Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Hannover, Germany).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2003). Orangutan phylogeny and conservation. Seminar at Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna, Austria).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2003). A survey on mammals in Danum Valley Conservation Area. Seminar at Sabah Wildlife Department (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2001). Orangutan vocal communication and population management. Seminar at Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Kutching, Malaysia).
  • Davila Ross, M. (2001). Preliminary report on orangutans in Batang Ai National Park. Seminar at Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Kutching, Malaysia).