Joah Madden

Joah Madden is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Exeter, where he has been employed since 2007, progressing from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and currently Associate Professor. He works within the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, focusing on the evolution of cognitive processes in wild animals using ring-necked pheasants as his primary study system.

Dr. Madden's research centers on understanding how natural selection shapes cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and executive control in animals. His ERC-funded project investigates individual differences in cognitive performance, their fitness consequences, and the factors affecting inheritance and expression of cognitive abilities. He maintains an integrative approach that bridges behavioral ecology, psychology, and evolutionary biology to provide novel insights into animal cognition.

• Key Research Areas:
• Evolution of cognitive performance in wild populations
• Individual differences in learning and memory
• Sexual selection and cognition (bowerbird research)
• Social network analysis of animal behavior
• Developmental mechanisms shaping adult behavior

Scientific Recognition

• Recipient of European Research Council funding for "The Evolution of Cognitive Performance" project

Dr. Madden has developed innovative methodologies combining controlled breeding environments with field observations of wild animals. His work has attracted additional funding from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and he maintains active collaborations across disciplinary boundaries. He has regular office hours (Monday 8:30-9:30, Tuesday 11:30-12:30) and can be reached at J.R.Madden@exeter.ac.uk from his office in Washington Singer Laboratories.