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Sequences, behaviour and cognitive evolution

05 - 06 April 2027 09:00 - 17:00 DoubleTree by Hilton, Bristol City Centre Free
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Theo Murphy meeting organised by Professor Robert Barton, Professor Zanna Clay and Professor Nicky Clayton FRS

 

From language and memory to music, dance and narrative, humans display a remarkable capacity to understand and create complex sequences. All motile animals, however, construct behavioural sequences to meet their ecological needs. How are these capacities related and how did they evolve? Our meeting explores this important question and uses it to tackle fundamental issues in comparative cognitive science.

The full programme, including speaker biographies and abstracts, will be available soon. A draft programme is shown below. Please note the programme may be subject to change.

Poster session

There will be a poster session on Monday 5 April 2027. Registered attendees will be invited to submit a proposed poster title and abstract (up to 200 words). Acceptances may be made on a rolling basis so we recommend submitting as soon as possible in case the session becomes full. Submissions made within one month of the meeting may not be included in the programme booklet.

Attending the event

This event is intended for researchers in relevant fields.

  • Free to attend and in-person only
  • When requesting an invitation, please briefly state your expertise and reasons for attending
  • Requests are reviewed by the meeting organisers on a rolling basis. You will receive a link to register if your request has been successful
  • Catering options will be available to purchase upon registering. Participants are responsible for booking their own accommodation
  • Please do not book accommodation until you have been invited to attend the meeting by the meeting organisers

Please note that scientific meetings hosted by ºìÌÒÊÓƵ do not necessarily represent a Royal Society position or signify an endorsement of the speakers or content presented.

Enquiries: Scientific Programmes team

Organisers

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    Professor Robert Barton FRSB

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    Professor Zanna Clay

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    Professor Nicola Clayton FRS

    Nicola Clayton is an experimental psychologist whose studies of members of the crow family have shattered assumptions about the cognitive abilities of non-human animals. Through a series of imaginatively designed experiments, she has shown that rooks, jackdaws and jays can plan for the future and reflect on the past, as well as understand that members of their social groups have minds of their own.

    In pursuing her interest in the development and evolution of non-verbal cognition, Nicola also works with young children and non-human apes. Her findings have led her to suggest that intelligence in birds and human and non-human primates evolved independently.

    A dancer herself, Nicola explores dance as a form of non-verbal communication. She was the first Scientist in Residence at the dance company , a title she has continuously held since 2011. She also collaborates with artist and writer Clive Wilkins on . Nicky and Clive regularly dance together, have given a TEDx talk entitled ‘Conversations Without Words’, and presented a Royal Society lecture at the Hay Festival.