I am a post-doctoral researcher with a Fellowship in Research and Science Teaching. My research interests are in the decision-making processes of nonhuman primates under circumstances of risk. I use behavioral economics as a platform for which to explore these issues. Currently, I am working on a series of gambling style tasks to elucidate risk preferences in our closest living relative, the chimpanzee. I am particularly interested in how these decision-making processes are influenced by the social dynamics within chimpanzee groups.
In addition to research, I am interested in facilitating better communication between scientists and the public in both formalized (e.g., teaching) and informal (e.g., public outreach) settings.
Selected Publications
Proctor, D., Williamson, R. A., de Waal, F. B. M., & Brosnan, S. F. (2013). Chimpanzees play the ultimatum game. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Advance online publication. doi:10.1073/pnas.1220806110
Proctor, D. P., (2012). Gambling and decision-making among primates: The Primate Gambling Task. Psychology Dissertations, Paper 108. Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
Proctor, D. P., Lambeth, S. P., Schapiro, S. J., & Brosnan, S. F. (2011). Male chimpanzees’ grooming rates vary by female age, parity, and fertility status. American Journal of Primatology, 73, 1-8. doi:10.1002/ajp.20964
Horner, V., Proctor, D., Bonnie, K. E., Whiten, A., de Waal, F. B. M. (2010). Prestige affects cultural learning in chimpanzees. PLoS One, 5, e10625. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010625
Proctor, D. & Brosnan, S. F. (2011). Political primates: What other primates can tell us about the evolutionary roots of our own political behavior. In R. Mcdermott & P. Hatemi (Eds.), Man is by nature a political animal. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Proctor, D. (2007). Taxon, site and temporal differentiation using dental microwear in the Southern African Papionins. (Master’s thesis). Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
Last updated: Jan 16, 2013
