Challenges and Promises of Big Team Comparative Cognition.

19.12.2024

SCAN Unit Associate Ekaterina Pronizius acted as one of the shared second authors on a new commentary on big team science in comparative cognition.

Big Team Science has the potential to revolutionize comparative cognition research by pooling resources and expertise across diverse taxa. It allows for larger sample sizes, greater diversity, and more reliable inferences. However, implementing BTS poses challenges, including achieving species-fair comparisons, addressing multisite variability, and reconciling interdisciplinary differences. Species-fair approaches must balance standardized methods with species-specific adaptations to ensure validity. BTS also helps disentangle true cognitive differences from site-specific variability by documenting and controlling experimental factors. To navigate theoretical divides, BTS relies on consensus-building strategies that integrate diverse perspectives. By fostering collaboration, interdisciplinary integration, and open science, BTS can drive transformative advancements in comparative cognition research.

For more, read https://rdcu.be/d30KP (view-only version)

Alessandroni, N., Altschul*, D., Baumgartner*, H.A., ..., Pronizius*, E., ..., & Prétôt, L. Challenges and Promises of Big Team Comparative Cognition. Nature Human Behavior, Comment. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-02081-6 

Picture copyright: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6821117.