David Leavens

Dr. David Leavens is a Professor of Comparative Psychology at the University of Sussex, School of Psychology. He specializes in nonverbal communication in apes and humans, focusing on joint attention and behavioral indices of anxiety. His career includes roles such as Reader (2019–present), Senior Lecturer (2005–2019), and part-time lecturer at the University of Georgia (1998–1999). Leavens holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Georgia (2001) and prior degrees in anthropology from UC Riverside (BSc) and Southern Illinois University (MA).

• Education: BSc (UC Riverside), MA (Southern Illinois), PhD (University of Georgia)
• Non-academic roles: U.S. Marine Corps (1978–1984), Production Supervisor (Applied Cardiac Systems), Emergency Services Dispatcher

Research interests include primate communication, evolutionary origins of language, and cognitive development. Key areas involve chimpanzee gestural communication, joint attention in apes and humans, and the ecological determinants of pointing behavior. His work bridges comparative psychology with evolutionary and developmental frameworks.

Publications span topics like domestication effects in dogs, object permanence in cats, and the Referential Problem Space theory. Recent work emphasizes inclusivity in developmental psychology (e.g., 'Let’s go WILD' 2025) and primate-canine comparisons. Leavens serves on editorial boards of journals like Journal of Comparative Psychology and Animal Cognition.

Awards include the Daphne Jackson Fellowship (2004–2007) and recognition as a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He has supervised PhD candidates such as Benjamin Farrar and Catherine Hobaiter, and his grants include funding from the Royal Society and ERC.

Teaching focuses on Developmental Psychology, Psychobiology, and Quantitative Methods. He leads the 'Psychology Now' module and has contributed to over 128 publications, reflecting his impactful research in comparative cognition and behavioral science.