Lab logo designed by Cindy Rainbolt, an alumna of Lyon College.
Our Team
We are a team of researchers that study behavior and cognition in non-human primates and domesticated animals using a comparative approach. Our lab is located at Lyon College but includes members from all over the United States. You can find a list of our current members and research projects below. (Interested in joining our lab? Scroll to the bottom of this page for more information).
Principal Investigator & Founder:
Britt Florkiewicz, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology
Lyon College, Batesville, AR
[email protected]
Current Members:
We currently have 17 active lab members. Some of these lab members are featured below. Click on each photo below to learn more about the project(s) that each member is working on and their role(s)!
We are a team of researchers that study behavior and cognition in non-human primates and domesticated animals using a comparative approach. Our lab is located at Lyon College but includes members from all over the United States. You can find a list of our current members and research projects below. (Interested in joining our lab? Scroll to the bottom of this page for more information).
Principal Investigator & Founder:
Britt Florkiewicz, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology
Lyon College, Batesville, AR
[email protected]
Current Members:
We currently have 17 active lab members. Some of these lab members are featured below. Click on each photo below to learn more about the project(s) that each member is working on and their role(s)!
Previous Members:
Bailey Barnard '23: "My project involved studying gorillas at the Little Rock Zoo to observe how gaze interactions between the gorillas, specifically gaze aversions, reflect the gorillas social network. This project was an amazing and interesting way to learn about observational as well as animal research, and I was also able to gain presenter skills when I showed this research at SCARF."
Peyton Allen '23: "Hello, I'm Peyton Allen! I am currently an undergraduate student at UCLA and working towards a double B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology.
I am currently on a research hiatus. In the ABC Lab, I am primarily involved with research on affiliative behaviors among hylobatids. The goal of my previous project was to study underrepresented species in an effort to fill gaps in the research literature and hopefully aid conservation programs."
Wilson Gabriel Borkowski '23: "I am Wilson Gabriel Borkowski, an alum of Lyon College. I am currently on a research hiatus. During my previous research, I studied the sleep patterns of chimpanzees and their association with social hierarchy, familial relationships, and bond connections. I also contributed to the FACS combinatorics project."
Current Projects
Originally, the Animal Behavior & Cognition Lab was focused on projects pertaining to primate communication. Our projects have now expanded to include other mammals (dogs & cats) and topics (such as affiliation & play behaviors). Click on each photo to learn more! Note: we are always open to new research projects & collaborations; click here to see an example of a recent international collaboration!
Previous Members:
Bailey Barnard '23: "My project involved studying gorillas at the Little Rock Zoo to observe how gaze interactions between the gorillas, specifically gaze aversions, reflect the gorillas social network. This project was an amazing and interesting way to learn about observational as well as animal research, and I was also able to gain presenter skills when I showed this research at SCARF."
Peyton Allen '23: "Hello, I'm Peyton Allen! I am currently an undergraduate student at UCLA and working towards a double B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology.
I am currently on a research hiatus. In the ABC Lab, I am primarily involved with research on affiliative behaviors among hylobatids. The goal of my previous project was to study underrepresented species in an effort to fill gaps in the research literature and hopefully aid conservation programs."
Wilson Gabriel Borkowski '23: "I am Wilson Gabriel Borkowski, an alum of Lyon College. I am currently on a research hiatus. During my previous research, I studied the sleep patterns of chimpanzees and their association with social hierarchy, familial relationships, and bond connections. I also contributed to the FACS combinatorics project."
Current Projects
Originally, the Animal Behavior & Cognition Lab was focused on projects pertaining to primate communication. Our projects have now expanded to include other mammals (dogs & cats) and topics (such as affiliation & play behaviors). Click on each photo to learn more! Note: we are always open to new research projects & collaborations; click here to see an example of a recent international collaboration!
Get Involved
The Animal Behavior & Cognition Lab welcomes individuals interested in gaining hands-on research experience. Prior research experience is beneficial but not mandatory for joining our lab. Everyone has to start somewhere!
We welcome students who are interested in gaining experience with the following:
- Collecting video footage at the Little Rock Zoo (and other institutions)
- Coding recorded behavioral observations using ELAN & ethograms*
- Cleaning and analyzing behavioral datasets*
Note that we require students to commit a minimum of 5 hours each week for research projects. We also require attendance at research meetings (which can happen weekly or twice a month, depending on the project). Lyon College students are eligible to earn course credits for these research projects (through courses such as PSY450 Independent Study, PSY485 Senior Thesis I, PSY486 Senior Thesis II, and some PSY382 courses such as Primate Perspectives on Behavior and the Brain). Lyon College students may also participate in these research projects through the Federal Work Study program (if eligible). Students outside of Lyon College may be able to earn course credit & funds through federal work study programs as well; reach out to your institution today to see if this is a possibility!
Still interested? If so, reach out today! Send an email to [email protected] entitled "Joining the ABC Lab" and list the projects you'd like to get involved with. Please note that these projects are at varying stages of completion, so make sure to mention multiple projects of interest, just in case. If you're unsure about which project to work on, please share your animal-related interests with me! You can also reach out by clicking here!