Simon Reader
Associate Professor,McGill University
Department of Biology
E-mail: simon.reader@mcgill.ca
Institution page
Education
ResearchI study the causes and consequences of innovation and social learning in animals and humans. In particular, I have been looking at: (i) the neuro-cognitive processes underlying the creation and acquisition of novel behaviour patterns (ii) the diffusion dynamics of acquired information (iii) the relationship between asocial and social learning (iv) the causes of individual, population and species-level variation in innovation and social learning propensities (v) the role of innovation and social learning in brain evolution (vi) the evolutionary consequences of behavioural flexibility and the active role of behaviour in evolution.QCBS students Alex BergerPh.D.  Megan CyrM.Sc.  Laurie DufourM.Sc.  Adithi RaoM.Sc. Previous students (since 2009) Mélanie GuiguenoPostdoctoral fellow  Pierre-Olivier MontiglioPostdoctoral fellow Adam ReddonPostdoctoral fellow  Sarah TurnerPostdoctoral fellow  María J. Cabrera ÁlvarezPh.D.  Paul SimsPh.D.  Maria CreightonM.Sc.  Raina FanM.Sc.  Wyatt ToureM.Sc. Ivon VassilevaM.Sc. Relevant QCBS research themesExamples of species studiedMacaca fascicularis Poecilia reticulata Publications81- Insights into adaptive behavioural plasticity from the guppy model system Journal Article Fox J A , Toure M W , Heckley A , Fan R , Reader S M , Barrett R D H , 2024 Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (Date Added: 2024-03-21) 80- Alarm cues and alarmed conspecifics: neural activity during social learning from different cues in Trinidadian guppies Journal Article Fan R , Reader S M , Sakata J T , 2022 Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (Date Added: 2022-09-12) 79- Wild guppies from populations exposed to higher predation risk exhibit greater vasotocin brain gene expression Journal Article Reddon A R , Aubin‐Horth N , Reader S M , 2021 Journal of Zoology (Date Added: 2021-11-24) 78- Colour biases in learned foraging preferences in Trinidadian guppies Journal Article Toure M W , Reader S M , 2021 Ethology (Date Added: 2021-10-29) 77- Submission signals in animal groups Journal Article Reddon A R , Ruberto T , Reader S M , 2021 Behaviour (Date Added: 2021-10-10) 76- An investigation of population variation in maze exploration and its predictors in wild Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) Journal Article Sims P Q , Reader S M , 2021 Behavioural Processes (Date Added: 2021-08-29) 75- Accelerating the Evolution of Nonhuman Primate Neuroimaging Conference Article Milham M , Petkov C I , Margulies D S , Schroeder C E , Basso M A , Belin P , Fair D A , Fox A , Kastner S , Mars R B , Messinger A , Poirier C , Vanduffel W , Van Essen D C , Alvand A , Becker Y , Ben Hamed S , Benn A , Bodin C , Boretius S , Cagna B , Coulon O , El-Gohary S H , Evrard H , Forkel S J , Friedrich P , Froudist-Walsh S , Garza-Villarreal E A , Gao Y , Gozzi A , Grigis A , Hartig R , Hayashi T , Heuer K , Howells H , Ardesch D J , Jarraya B , Jarrett W , Jedema H P , Kagan I , Kelly C , Kennedy H , Klink P C , Kwok S C , Leech R , Liu X , Madan C , Madushanka W , Majka P , Mallon A , Marche K , Meguerditchian A , Menon R S , Merchant H , Mitchell A , Nenning K , Nikolaidis A , Ortiz-Rios M , Pagani M , Pareek V , Prescott M , Procyk E , Rajimehr R , Rautu I , Raz A , Roe A W , Rossi-Pool R , Roumazeilles L , Sakai T , Sallet J , García-Saldivar P , Sato C , Sawiak S , Schiffer M , Schwiedrzik C M , Seidlitz J , Sein J , Shen Z , Shmuel A , Silva A C , Simone L , Sirmpilatze N , Sliwa J , Smallwood J , Tasserie J , Thiebaut de Schotten M , Toro R , Trapeau R , Uhrig L , Vezoli J , Wang Z , Wells S , Williams B , Xu T , Xu A G , Yacoub E , Zhan M , Ai L , Amiez C , Balezeau F , Baxter M G , Blezer E L , Brochier T , Chen A , Croxson P L , Damatac C G , Dehaene S , Everling S , Fleysher L , Freiwald W , Griffiths T D , Guedj C , Hadj-Bouziane F , Harel N , Hiba B , Jung B , Koo B , Laland K N , Leopold D A , Lindenfors P , Meunier M , Mok K , Morrison J H , Nacef J , Nagy J , Pinsk M , Reader S M , Roelfsema P R , Rudko D A , Rushworth M F , Russ B E , Schmid M C , Sullivan E L , Thiele A , Todorov O S , Tsao D , Ungerleider L , Wilson C R , Ye F Q , Zarco W , Zhou Y , 2020 Neuron (Date Added: 2020-02-21) 74- Social information use Book Chapter Morand-Ferron J , Doligez B , Dall S , Reader S , 2019 Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior (Date Added: 2020-02-21) 73- Correction: Coevolution of cultural intelligence, extended life history, sociality, and brain size in primates (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2017) 114 (7908–7914) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1620734114) Journal Erratum , 2019 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Date Added: 2019-03-24) 72- An Open Resource for Non-human Primate Imaging Journal Article Milham M P , Ai L , Koo B , Xu T , Amiez C , Balezeau F , Baxter M G , Blezer E L , Brochier T , Chen A , Croxson P L , Damatac C G , Dehaene S , Everling S , Fair D A , Fleysher L , Freiwald W , Froudist-Walsh S , Griffiths T D , Guedj C , Hadj-Bouziane F , Ben Hamed S , Harel N , Hiba B , Jarraya B , Jung B , Kastner S , Klink P C , Kwok S C , Laland K N , Leopold D A , Lindenfors P , Mars R B , Menon R S , Messinger A , Meunier M , Mok K , Morrison J H , Nacef J , Nagy J , Rios M O , Petkov C I , Pinsk M , Poirier C , Procyk E , Rajimehr R , Reader S M , Roelfsema P R , Rudko D A , Rushworth M F , Russ B E , Sallet J , Schmid M C , Schwiedrzik C M , Seidlitz J , Sein J , Shmuel A , Sullivan E L , Ungerleider L , Thiele A , Todorov O S , Tsao D , Wang Z , Wilson C R , Yacoub E , Ye F Q , Zarco W , Zhou Y , Margulies D S , Schroeder C E , 2018 Neuron (Date Added: 2018-10-24) 71- Wild and laboratory exposure to cues of predation risk increases relative brain mass in male guppies Journal Article Reddon A R , Chouinard-Thuly L , Leris I , Reader S M , 2018 Functional Ecology (Date Added: 2018-07-15) 70- Primate Brain Anatomy: New Volumetric MRI Measurements for Neuroanatomical Studies Journal Article Navarrete A , Blezer E , Pagnotta M , de Viet E , Todorov O , Lindenfors P , Laland K , Reader S , 2018 Brain, Behavior and Evolution (Date Added: 2018-06-24) 69- Developmental plasticity of the stress response in female but not in male guppies Journal Article Chouinard-Thuly L , Reddon A R , Leris I , Earley R L , Reader S M , 2018 Royal Society Open Science (Date Added: 2018-03-27) 68- Coevolution of cultural intelligence, extended life history, sociality, and brain size in primates Journal Article Street, SE, Navarrete, AF, Reader, SM, Laland, KN 2017 Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (Date Added: 2019-03-11) 67- Wilde at Oxford: A truce with facts Book Chapter Reader S , 2017 Philosophy and Oscar Wilde (Date Added: 2018-06-29) 66- Forebrain activation during social exposure in wild-type guppies Journal Article Cabrera-Álvarez M J , Swaney W T , Reader S M , 2017 Physiology and Behavior (Date Added: 2018-03-11) 65- Technical and conceptual considerations for using animated stimuli in studies of animal behavior Journal Article Chouinard-Thuly L , Gierszewski S , Rosenthal G G , Reader S M , Rieucau G , Woo K L , Gerlai R , Tedore C , Ingley S J , Stowers J R , Frommen J G , Dolins F L , Witte K , 2017 Current Zoology (Date Added: 2017-03-23) 64- Animal and human innovation: novel problems and novel solutions Journal Article Reader, SM, Morand-Ferron, J, Flynn, E 2016 Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences (Date Added: 2017-08-15) 63- Animal social learning: Associations and adaptations [version 1; referees: 2 approved] Journal Article Reader S M , 2016 F1000Research (Date Added: 2017-02-10) 62- Evolutionary and immediate effects of crude-oil pollution: depression of exploratory behaviour across populations of Trinidadian guppies Journal Article Jacquin, L, Dybwad, C, Rolshausen, G, Hendry, AP, Reader, SM 2016 Animal Cognition (Date Added: 2016-09-08) 61- Age and early social environment influence guppy social learning propensities Journal Article Leris, I, Reader, SM 2016 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2016-08-29) 60- Parallel and nonparallel behavioural evolution in response to parasitism and predation in Trinidadian guppies Journal Article Jacquin, L, Reader, SM, Boniface, A, Mateluna, J, Patalas, I, Perez-Jvostov, F, Hendry, AP 2016 Journal of Evolutionary Biology (Date Added: 2016-08-04) 59- The coevolution of innovation and technical intelligence in primates Journal Article Navarrete, AF, Reader, SM, Street, SE, Whalen, A, Laland, KN 2016 Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences (Date Added: 2016-03-14) 58- Nonapeptide influences on social behaviour: effects of vasotocin and isotocin on shoaling and interaction in zebrafish Journal Article Lindeyer, CM, Langen, EMA, Swaney, WT, Reader, SM 2015 Behaviour (Date Added: 2016-06-28) 57- Does all teaching rest on evolved traits? Journal Article Chouinard-Thuly, L, Reader, SM 2015 Behavioral and Brain Sciences (Date Added: 2016-06-23) 56- Infectious disease, behavioural flexibility and the evolution of culture in primates Journal Article McCabe, CM, Reader, SM, Nunn, CL 2015 Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (Date Added: 2016-05-09) 55- Demasculinization of male guppies increases resistance to a common and harmful ectoparasite Journal Article Dargent, F, Reddon, AR, Swaney, WT, Fussmann, GF, Reader, SM, Scott, ME, Forbes, MR 2015 Parasitology (Date Added: 2015-10-20) 54- Behavioural responses of feral and domestic guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to predators and their cues Journal Article Swaney, WT, Cabrera-Alvarez, MJ, Reader, SM 2015 Behavioural Processes (Date Added: 2015-07-07) 53- Causes of Individual Differences in Animal Exploration and Search Journal Article Reader, SM 2015 Topics in Cognitive Science (Date Added: 2015-05-28) 52- The evolution of self-control Journal Article MacLean, EL 2014 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Date Added: 2016-06-22) 51- Experiential effects on mirror systems and social learning: Implications for social intelligence Journal Article Reader, SM 2014 Behavioral and Brain Sciences (Date Added: 2016-06-22) 50- What shapes social decision making? Journal Article Reader, SM, Leris, I 2014 Behavioral and Brain Sciences (Date Added: 2014-03-31) 49- Evolution of cognition Journal Article Reader, SM 2014 Oxford Bibliographies in Evolutionary Biology (Date Added: 2014-02-10) 48- Individual consistency and flexibility in human social information use Journal Article Toelch, U, Bruce, MJ, Newson, L, Richerson, PJ, Reader, SM 2013 Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (Date Added: 2014-02-09) 47- Innovating innovation rate and its relationship with brains, ecology and general intelligence Journal Article Lefebvre, L, Reader, SM, Sol, D 2013 Brain, Behavior and Evolution (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 46- Early maternal care predicts reliance on social learning about food in adult rats Journal Article Lindeyer, CM, Meaney, MJ, Reader, SM 2013 Developmental Psychobiology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 45- An analysis of gaze following to a hidden location in long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) Journal Article Goossens, BMA, Van Den Berg, LM, Reader, SM, Stercka, EHM 2012 Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 44- The limits of chimpanzee-human comparisons for understanding human cognition. Journal Article Reader, SM, Hrotic, SM 2012 The Behavioral and brain sciences (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 43- Spatial discounting of food and social rewards in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) Journal Article Mühlhoff, N, Stevens, JR, Reader, SM 2011 Frontiers in Psychology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 42- The evolution of primate general and cultural intelligence Journal Article Reader, SM, Hager, Y, Laland, KN 2011 Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 41- Social performance cues induce behavioral flexibility in humans Journal Article Toelch, U, Bruce, MJ, Meeus, MTH, Reader, SM 2011 Frontiers in Psychology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 40-Comparative perspectives on human innovation Book Chapter Laland, KN, Reader, SM 2010 Innovation in Cultural Systems: Contributions from Evolutionary Anthropology ( Date Added: 2014-02-10) 39-Social information use Book Chapter Morand-Ferron, J, Doligez, B, Dall, SRX, Reader, SM 2010 Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior ( Date Added: 2014-02-10) 38-Innovation in animals Book Chapter Laland, KN, Reader, SM 2010 Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior ( Date Added: 2014-02-10) 37- The evolution of encephalization Book Chapter Lefebvre, L, Reader, SM, Boire, D 2010 (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 36- Social learning of escape routes in zebrafish and the stability of behavioural traditions Journal Article Lindeyer, CM, Reader, SM 2010 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 35- Large-brained mammals live longer Journal Article González-Lagos, C, Sol, D, Reader, SM 2010 Journal of Evolutionary Biology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 34- Experimental identification of social learning in wild animals Journal Article Reader, SM, Biro, D 2010 Learning and Behavior (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 33- Humans copy rapidly increasing choices in a multiarmed bandit problem Journal Article Toelch, U, Bruce, MJ, Meeus, MTH, Reader, SM 2010 Evolution and Human Behavior (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 32- Decreased environmental variability induces a bias for social information use in humans Journal Article Toelch, U, van Delft, MJ, Bruce, MJ, Donders, R, Meeus, MTH, Reader, SM 2009 Evolution and Human Behavior (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 31- Social learning of novel route preferences in adult humans Journal Article Reader, SM, Bruce, MJ, Rebers, S 2008 Biology Letters (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 30- The origin and spread of innovations in starlings Journal Article Boogert, NJ, Reader, SM, Hoppitt, W, Laland, KN 2008 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 29- Gaze following in monkeys is modulated by observed facial expressions Journal Article Goossens, BMA, Dekleva, M, Reader, SM, Sterck, EHM, Bolhuis, JJ 2008 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 28- Brain size predicts the success of mammal species introduced into novel environments Journal Article Sol, D, Bacher, S, Reader, SM, Lefebvre, L 2008 American Naturalist (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 27- Integrating animal temperament within ecology and evolution Journal Article Réale, D, Reader, SM, Sol, D, McDougall, PT, Dingemanse, NJ 2007 Biological Reviews (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 26- Environmentally invoked innovation and cognition Journal Article Reader, SM 2007 Behavioral and Brain Sciences (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 25- Wildlife conservation and animal temperament: Causes and consequences of evolutionary change for captive, reintroduced, and wild populations Journal Article McDougall, PT, Réale, D, Sol, D, Reader, SM 2006 Animal Conservation (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 24- The relation between social rank, neophobia and individual learning in starlings Journal Article Boogert, NJ, Reader, SM, Laland, KN 2006 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 23- Evo-devo, modularity, and evolvability: Insights for cultural evolution Journal Article Reader, SM 2006 Behavioral and Brain Sciences (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 22- Brain size in primates as a function of behavioral innovation Book Chapter Reader, SM 2006 (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 21- Comparing cognition across species [3] (multiple letters) Journal Article Reader, SM, Sol, D, Lefebvre, L 2005 Trends in Cognitive Sciences (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 20- Dunking behaviour in Carib grackles Journal Article Morand-Ferron, J, Lefebvre, L, Reader, SM, Sol, D, Elvin, S 2004 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 19- Distinguishing social and asocial learning using diffusion dynamics Journal Article Reader, SM 2004 Learning and Behavior (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 18- Brains, innovations and evolution in birds and primates Journal Article Lefebvre, L, Reader, SM, Sol, D 2004 Brain, Behavior and Evolution (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 16-Animal innovation: an introduction Book Chapter Reader, SM, Laland, KN 2003 Animal Innovation ( Date Added: 2014-02-10) 15-Environmental variability and primate behavioural flexibility Book Chapter Reader, SM, MacDonald, K 2003 Animal Innovation ( Date Added: 2014-02-10) 14-Animal Innovation Book Whole Reader, SM, Laland, KN 2003 ( Date Added: 2014-02-10) 13-Relative brain size and the distribution of innovation and social learning across the nonhuman primates Book Chapter Reader, SM 2003 The Biology of Traditions: Models and Evidence ( Date Added: 2014-02-10) 12- Innovation and social learning: Individual variation and brain evolution Journal Article Reader, SM 2003 Animal Biology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 11- Social learning of foraging sites and escape routes in wild Trinidadian guppies Journal Article Reader, SM, Kendal, JR, Laland, KN 2003 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 10- Erratum: Interactions between shoal size and conformity in guppy social foraging (Animal Behaviour (2001) 62 (917-925)) Journal Article Day, RL, MacDonald, T, Brown, C, Laland, KN, Reader, SM 2002 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 9- Locale-specific sugar packet opening by Lesser Antillean Bullfinches in Barbados Journal Article Reader, SM, Nover, D, Lefebvre, L 2002 Journal of Field Ornithology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 8- Social intelligence, innovation, and enhanced brain size in primates Journal Article Reader, SM, Laland, KN 2002 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 7- Primate innovation: Sex, age and social rank differences Journal Article Reader, SM, Laland, KN 2001 International Journal of Primatology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 6- Social learning and sociality Journal Article Reader, SM, Lefebvre, L 2001 Behavioral and Brain Sciences (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 5- Interactions between shoal size and conformity in guppy social foraging Journal Article Day, RL, MacDonald, T, Brown, C, Laland, KN, Reader, SM 2001 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 4- Diffusion of foraging innovations in the guppy Journal Article Reader, SM, Laland, KN 2000 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 3- Foraging innovation in the guppy Journal Article Laland, KN, Reader, SM 1999 Animal Behaviour (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 2- Do animals have memes? Journal Article Reader, SM, Laland, KN 1999 Journal of Memetics (Date Added: 2014-01-29) 1- Foraging innovation is inversely related to competitive ability in male but not in female guppies Journal Article Laland, KN, Reader, SM 1999 Behavioral Ecology (Date Added: 2014-01-29) In the media44th SQEBC covers cognitive ecology and animal behaviour (Julia Kossakowski) 2019-11-12 Ouverture officielle du guichet unique Demain la forêt à Québec - 50 000 $ pour appuyer les projets de plantation d'arbres dans la région (Champagne-Coté, Paméla) 2018-09-28 The Changing Face of Ecology: Part 1 (Perrin, Sam) 2018-09-06 The quickest way to someone’s heart is through your wallet (Hu, Grace) 2018-02-20 A cost of culture Havard Gazette (Reuell, Peter) 2014-12-11 Parasites and the evolution of primate culture McGill Reporter 2014-12-11 |
