Ben Whittaker

Ben Whittaker is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta, affiliated with the Faculty of Science and the Department of Psychology Science. He teaches advanced courses in psychology, including PSYCH 486 - Animal Cognition and PSYCH 505 - Conference Course in Psychology, focusing on cognitive abilities in non-human animals and emerging research areas in psychology.

Research Interests: His work bridges animal cognition and behavioral ecology, emphasizing methodological rigor in both field and laboratory settings. He explores the biological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying cognitive processes in non-human species, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches combining psychology and neuroscience.

Courses Taught:

• PSYCH 486 - Animal Cognition (Fall Term 2025): Examines methodologies for testing animal cognition, biological relevance, and evolutionary mechanisms.
• PSYCH 505 - Conference Course in Psychology (Fall Term 2025): Reviews advanced theoretical or methodological topics in psychology, restricted to graduate students.