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. 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: Sep 10, 2012
