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- Detailed Information
Stefano Ghirlanda
Professor
Psychology
Location: 4111 James Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x6089
Fax: 718.951.4814
Email:
Stefano Ghirlanda came to Brooklyn College in 2010 as the Carol L. Zicklin Chair (Visiting Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies). In 2012 he was appointed professor in the Department of Psychology. He is also a Guest Professor at Stockholm University, Sweden, in the Centre for the Study of Cultural Evolution.
Since July 2017, he serves as Director of the Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn College.
Education:
Ph.D., Stockholm University - 2001 (Zoology, with concentration in ethology)
B.Sc., University of Rome - 1996 (Mathematical Physics)
Areas of Expertise:
Stefano Ghirlanda studies animal and human behavior trying to understand, broadly speaking, the evolution of intelligence. He investigates how animals make sense of new situations, how they learn from experience, and how learning complements and intertwines with innate knowledge. He also studies cultural phenomena, which are crucial to understand human intelligence and the evolution of societies.
Books and Publications
Jonsson MR, Ghirlanda S, Lind J, Vinken V, Enquist M. Learning Simulator: A simulation
software for animal and human learning. Journal of Open Source Software 6(58):2891. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2021
Lind J, Ghirlanda S, Enquist M. Evolution of memory systems in animals, in Evolution of
Learning and Memory Mechanisms, edited by M Krause, Hollis KL, Papini MR. Cambridge,
UK: Cambridge University Press (to appear). (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2021
Ghirlanda S, Lind J, Enquist M. A-learning: A new formulation of associative learning
theory. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 27(6):1166-1194. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2020
Ghirlanda S, Enquist M. On the role of responses in Pavlovian acquisition. Journal of
Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning & Cognition 45(1):59-75. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2019
Lind J, Ghirlanda S, Enquist M. Social learning through associative processes: A computa-
tional theory. Royal Society Open Science 6(3):181777. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2019
Yang Y, Clément RJG, Porfiri M, Ghirlanda S. A comparison of individual learning and
social learning in zebrafish through an ethorobotics approach. Frontiers in Robotics and AI
6:71. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2019
Ghirlanda S. ECCO: An error-correcting comparator theory. Behavioural Processes, in press. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Ghirlanda S. Studying associative learning without solving learning equations. Journal of
Mathematical Psychology 85:55-61. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Ghilranda S, Lind J, Enquist M. Memory for stimulus sequences: A divide between humans and other animals? Royal Society Open Science 4(6):161011. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
Ghirlanda S, Lind J. "Aesop's fable'' experiments demonstrate trial-and-error learning in birds, but no causal understanding. Animal Behavior 123:239-247.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
Ghirlanda S. Can squirrel monkeys learn an ABnA grammar? A revaluation of Ravignani et al. (2013). PeerJ 5:e3806. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
Ghirlanda S. Trends in first names foreshadowed Hillary Clinton's electoral defeat. Cliodynamics 8(1):48-58. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
Enquist M, Ghirlanda S, Lind J. The power of associative learning and the origin of optimal behavior. Royal Society Open Science 3:160734. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2016
Aguilar E, Ghirlanda S. Modeling the genealogy of a cultural trait. Theoretical Population Biology 101:1-8. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2015
Ghirlanda S, Ibadullaiev I. Solution of the comparator theory of associative learning. Psychological Review 122(2):242-259. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2015
Ghirlanda, S. On elemental and configural models of associative learning. Journal of Mathematical Psychology 64-65:8-16. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2015
Lind J, Ghirlanda S, Enquist M. Animal memory: A review of delayed match-to-sample data. Behavioral Processes 117:52-58. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2015
Acerbi, A., S. Ghirlanda and M. Enquist. "Regulatory Traits: Cultural Influences on Cultural Evolution." Artificial Life, Evolution, and Complexity. Ed. S. Cagnoni. Berlin: Springer. 1-9. (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2014
Ghirlanda S, Acerbi A, Herzog H. Dog movie stars: A case study of media influence on popular culture. PLoS ONE 9(9):e106565.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2014
Ghirlanda, S., J. Lind and M. Enquist. "Coevolution of Intelligence, Behavioral Repertoire, and Lifespan." Theoretical Population Biology 91: 44-49. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2014
Ghirlanda, S., A. Acerbi, H. Herzog and J.A. Serpell. "Fashion vs. Function in Cultural Evolution: The Case of Dog Breed Popularity." PLoS ONE 8.9: e74770. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2013
Lind, J., P. Lindenfors, S. Ghirlanda, K. Lidén and M. Enquist. "Dating Human Cultural Capacity Using Phylogenetic Principles." Scientific Reports 3: 1785. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2013
Acerbi, A., S. Ghirlanda and M. Enquist. "Old and Young Individuals' Role in Cultural Change." Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation 15.4: 1. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2012
Acerbi, A., S. Ghirlanda and M. Enquist. "The Logic of Fashion Cycles." PLoS ONE 7.3: e32541. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2012
Aronsson, H., J. Lind, S. Girlanda and M. Enquist. "Parental Influences on Sexual Preferences: The Case of Attraction to Smoking." Journal of Evolutionary Psychology 9: 21-41. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2011
Enquist, M., H. Haronsson, S. Ghirlanda, L. Jansson and E.A. Jannini. "Exposure to Mother's Pregnancy and Lactation in Infancy Is Associated With Sexual Attraction to Pregnancy and Lactation in Adulthood." Journal of Sexual Medicine 8: 140-47. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2011
Enquist, M., S. Ghirlanda and K. Eriksson. "Modeling the Evolution and Diversity of Complex Cumulative Culture." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 366: 412-23. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2011
Contucci, P., I. Gallo and S. Ghirlanda. "Equilibria of Culture Contact Derived From Ingroup and Outgroup Attitudes." Applications of Mathematics in Models, Artificial Neural Networks and Arts. Eds. B. D'Amore, P. Contucci and M. Buscema. Berlin: Springer. (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2010
De Sanctis, L. and S. Ghirlanda. "Shared Culture Needs Large Social Networks." Applications of Mathematics in Models, Artificial Neural Networks and Arts. Eds. B. D'Amore, P. Contucci and M. Buscema. Berlin: Springer. (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2010
Enquist, M., S. Ghirlanda and P.L. Hurd. "Signaling." Evolutionary Behavioral Ecology. Eds. D.F. Westneat and C.W. Fox. Oxford University Press. (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2010
Ghirlanda, S., A. Acerbi, M. Enquist and M. Nakamaru. "The Sometimes Evitable Route to Conservatism and Persuasiveness. A Reply to Xue & Costopoulos." Current Anthropology 51: 271-72. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2010
Ghirlanda, S., M. Enquist and M. Perc. "Sustainability of Culture-driven Population Dynamics." Theoretical Population Biology 77: 181-88. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2010
Rendell, L., R. Boyd, D. Cownden, M. Enquist, K. Eriksson, M.W. Feldman, L. Fogarty, S. Ghirlanda, T. Lillicrap and K.N. Laland. "Why Copy Others? Insights From the Social Learning Strategies Tournament." Science 328: 208-13. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2010
Acerbi, A., M. Enquist and S. Ghirlanda. "Cultural Evolution and Individual Development of Openness and Conservatism." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 106: 18931-35. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2009
Ghirlanda, S., E. Frasnelli and G. Vallortigara. "Intraspecific Competition and Coordination in the Evolution of Lateralization." Philosophyical Transactions of the Royal Society B364: 861-66. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2009
Lind, J., S. Ghirlanda and M. Enquist. "Insight Learning or Shaping?" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 106: E76. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2009
Bruzzo, A., A. Borghi and S. Ghirlanda. "Hand-object Interaction in Perspective." Neuroscience Letters 441: 61-65. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
Enquist, M., S. Ghirlanda, A. Jarrick and C-A. Wachtmeister. "Why Does Human Culture Increase Exponentially?" Theoretical Population Biology 74: 46-55. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
Contucci, P. and S. Ghirlanda. "Modeling Society With Statistical Mechanics: An Application to Cultural Contact and Immigration." Quality & Quantity 41: 569-78. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Enquist, M. and S. Ghirlanda. "Evolution of Social Learning Does Not Explain the Origin of Human Cumulative Culture." Journal of Theoretical Biology 246: 129-35. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Enquist, M., K. Eriksson and S. Ghirlanda. "Critical Social Learning: A Solution to Rogers' Paradox of Nonadaptive Culture." American Anthropologist 109: 727-34. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Eriksson, K., M. Enquist and S. Ghirlanda. "Critical Points in Current Theory of Conformist Social Learning." Journal of Evolutionary Psychology 5: 67-88. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Ghirlanda, S. and M. Enquist. "Cumulative Culture and Explosive Demographic Transitions." Quality & Quantity 41: 581-600. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Ghirlanda, S. and M. Enquist. "How Training and Testing Histories Affect Generalization: A Test of Simple Neural Networks." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B362: 449-54. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Scorolli, C., S. Ghirlanda, M. Enquist, S. Zattoni and E.A. Jannini. "Relative Prevalence of Different Fetishes." International Journal of Impotence Research 19: 432-37. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Ghirlanda, S., M. Nakamaru and M. Enquist. "Cultural Evolution Developing Its Own Rules? The Rise of Conservatism and Persuasion." Current Anthropology 47: 1027-34. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2006
"Retrospective Revaluation as Simple Associative Learning." Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes 31: 107-11. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2005
Di Lazzaro, V., A. Oliviero, F. Pilato, E. Saturno, M. Dileone, C. Marra, S. Ghirlanda, F. Ranieri, G. Gainotti and P. Tonali. "Neurophysiological Predictors of Long-term Response to AChE Inhibitors in AD Patients." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 76: 1064-69. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2005
Enquist, M. and S. Ghirlanda. Neural Networks and Animal Behavior. Princeton University Press. (Books and Publications: Book (Authored)) 2005
Di Lazzaro, V., A. Oliviero, F. Pilato, E. Saturno, M. Dileone, C. Marra, A. Daniele, S. Ghirlanda, G. Gainotti and P.A. Tonali. "Motor Cortex Hyperexcitability to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Alzheimer's Disease." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 75: 555-59. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2004
Ghirlanda, S. and G. Vallortigara. "The Evolution of Brain Lateralization: A Game Theoretical Analysis of Population Structure." Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B271: 853-57. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2004
Kenward, B., C-A. Wachtmeister, S. Ghirlanda and M. Enquist. "Spots and Stripes: The Evolution of Repetition in Visual Signal Form." Journal of Theoretical Biology 230: 407-19. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2004
Ghirlanda, S. and M. Enquist. "A Century of Generalization." Animal Behaviour 66: 15-36. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2003
"Intensity Generalisation: Physiology and Modelling of a Neglected Topic." Journal of Theoretical Biology 214: 389-404. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2002
Arak, A., M. Enquist, S. Ghirlanda and C-A. Wachtmeister. "Spectacular Phenomena and Limits to Rationality in Genetic and Cultural Evolution." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B357: 1585-94. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2002
Enquist, M., S. Ghirlanda, C-A. Wachtmeister and D. Lundqvist. "An Ethological Theory of Attractiveness." Advances in Visual Cognition: Facial Attractiveness. Eds. Leslie A. Zebrowitz and Gillian Rhodes. Westport, Conn.: Ablex. (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2002
Ghirlanda, S., L. Jansson and M. Enquist. "Chickens Prefer Beautiful Humans." Human Nature 13: 383-89. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2002
Kamo, M., S. Ghirlanda and M. Enquist. "The Evolution of Signal Form: Effects of Learned Versus Inherited Recognition." Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B269: 1765-71. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2002
Ghirlanda, S. and M. Enquist. "The Geometry of Stimulus Control." Animal Behaviour 58: 695-706. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1999
Enquist, M. and S. Ghirlanda. "The Ssecrets of Faces." Nature 394: 826-27. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 1998
Enquist, M., S. Ghirlanda and P.L. Hurd. "Discrete Conventional Signalling of a Continuous Variable." Animal Behaviour 56: 749-54. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1998
Ghirlanda, S. and F. Guerra. "General Properties of Overlap Probability Distributions in Disordered Spin Systems. Towards Parisi Ultrametricity." Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General 31: 9149-55. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1998
Ghirlanda, S. and M. Enquist. "Artificial Neural Networks as Models of Stimulus Control." Animal Behaviour 56: 1383-89. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1998
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
CUNY Graduate Center Mid-Career Fellowship in the Committee for Interdisciplinary Studies, $12,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2015
From nature to culture: Evolutionary origins of human uniqueness. Grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation in collaboration with Stockholm University and Mälardalen University, Sweden, $250,000. (Grants and Fellowships) 2015
Carol L. Zicklin Award for Excellence in Teaching. (Awards and Honors) 2012
NSF Grant, for "Collaborative Research: Multi-Ancestor Coalescent Theory For Cultural Evolution." NSF ID 1137865. $447,994. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
"Marco Polo" travel fellowship, University of Bologna (six months at Harvard's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics). Euro 4,500. (Grants and Fellowships) 2006
European Commission Grant, for "CULTAPTATION: Dynamics and adaptation in human cumulative culture." FP-NEST-2004-PATH-043434. Euro 1,961,592.07. (Grants and Fellowships) 2006
Ig Nobel prize for interdisciplinary research. (Awards and Honors) 2003
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
"Cultural Evolution of Emotions." Opening lecture of the Culture, Philosophy, and the Emotions Conference. Department of Philosophy, Catholic University of Leuven. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
