The Future Is Computational Comparative Cognition

Abstract

Computational modeling should and will play an increasingly important role in the future of comparative cognition. Computational comparative cognition is a burgeoning field, poised to tackle perennial questions about animal behavior as well as to take the opportunity to ask new ones. To establish computational comparative cognition as a field, researchers must work together to create interdisciplinary collaborations, to translate and disseminate findings that can be digested by a diverse audience, and to rethink the status of computational modeling. Blending models, experiment, and observation will deepen our understanding of animal behavior, promising a bright future for the field of comparative cognition.