Psychology

Marina Davila-Ross

Dr. Marina Davila-Ross

Research Fellow

Psychology

Marina.Davila-Ross@port.ac.uk

Profile

BackgroundDavila with Ape

After having received my Masters in Biology (2002), for which I studied the call diversity of wild orangutan populations in Borneo and Sumatra (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany), I conducted my PhD study in Neuroscience (2003-2007), focusing here on the evolution of laughter and positive communication of all four great ape species and humans (Center for Systems Neuroscience Hannover, Germany). In 2007, I came as a research fellow to the department. I am a member of The Centre for the Study of Emotion and the Animals Behaviour Research Group.

Research interests

•    Laughter, smiles, and play of hominoids
•    The evolution of language and cognition
•    Mimicry, social contingencies, and empathy in hominoids
•    Affective and voluntary expressions and the evolution of emotional intelligence
•    The development of vocal and facial expressions in humans and nonhuman primates
•    Cooperation, social bonding, and positive emotions in humans and nonhuman primates
•    Conservation and captive management of nonhuman primates

Publications


  • Davila Ross, M., Owren, M.J., and Zimmermann, E. 2010  The evolution of laughter in great apes and humans. Communicative and Integrative Biology, Manuscript in press. [full paper]

  • Davila Ross, M., Allcock, B., Thomas, C., and Bard K. The evolution of emotional communication: What’s behind a chimpanzee laugh? Manuscript submitted.
  • Van Leeuwen, E. and Davila Ross, M. Role play in gorillas, Manuscript in preparation.
  • Davila Ross, M. and Bundell, S. Sex-targeted open-mouth face expressions of play in great apes, Manuscript submitted.
  • Davila Ross, M. Towards the evolution of laughter. Saarbruecken: Südwestdeutscher Verlag für Hochschulschriften Aktiengesellschaft, pp 112.
  • Murray, J.C., Canamero, L., Bard, K.A., Davila Ross, M., Thorsteinsson, K., 2009 The influence of social interaction on the perception of emotional expression: A case study with a robot head, Lecture notes in computer science, 5744: 63-72. [abstract]
  • Davila Ross, M., Owren, M.J., and Zimmermann, E. 2009 Reconstructing the evolution of laughter in great apes and humans.Current Biology, 19 (13): 1106-1111. [full paper]
  • Davila Ross, M. and Geissmann, T. 2009 Circadian long call distribution in wild orangutans. Distribution circadienne des cris longs chez l’orang-outan en milieu natural.. Revue de Primatologie, document 1, mis en ligne le 08 octobre 2009. [full paper]
  • Delgado, R. A., Lameira, A., Davila Ross, M., Husson, S.J., Morrogh-Bernard, H.C., and Wich, S. A. 2009 Geographical Variation in Orangutan Long Calls. In Orangutans: Geographic Variation in Behavioral Ecology and Conservation. Edited by S.A. Wich, S.S. Utami Atmoko, T. Mitra Setia, and C.P. van Schaik. New York: Oxford University Press, pp 215-224. (abstract)
  • Davila Ross, M., Menzler, S., and Zimmermann, E. 2008 Rapid facial mimicry in orangutan play. Biology Letters, 4: 27-30.(abstract)
  • Davila Ross, M. and Geissmann, T. 2007 Call diversity of wild male orangutans: A phylogenetic approach. American Journal of Primatology, 69: 305-324.(abstract)
  • Davila Ross, M. 2005 The long calls of wild male orangutans. Borneo Research Bulletin105.
  • Davila Ross, M. 2005 Der Stammbaum der Orangutans. Tiergarten Rundbrief 105: 17-20.
  • Davila Ross, M. 2003 Die Rufe der Orangutans. Schönbrunner Tiergarten-Journal 44: 16-18.

Conference presentations

  • 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).