The Rise and Fall of Animal Behavior Labs: The Future of Comparative Psychology

Abstract

Comparative psychology is experiencing a decline in academia. The retirements and losses of its leaders, like Dr. Stan Kuczaj, along with reduced support by the national government and the universities, and pressure by animal activists are some of the reasons for this decline. Students are still interested in the world of animal behavior, but as external pressure increases to focus on applied translational questions and less on basic research, pursuing this topic becomes increasingly difficult. The future of the field rests upon the legacies of leaders, such as Stan Kuczaj.

Keywords

• Animal behavior
• Comparative psychology
• Stan Kuczaj