View source for Simone Pika

{{Short description|German behavioral biologist}}
{{Primary sources|date=December 2023}}
'''Simone Susanne Pika''' (née Klein) is a German [[Ethology|ethologist]] and [[Primatology|primatologist]] investigating the evolution and development of language, cognition and plasticity by focusing on distinct model systems such as [[Corvidae|corvids]], [[Hominidae|great apes]], [[monkey]]s and [[dolphin]]s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Comparative BioCognition group |url=https://www.comparative-biocognition.de/}}</ref> Since 2017, she co-directs the Ozouga Chimpanzee Project,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ozouga Chimpanzee Project |url=https://en.ozouga.org/}}</ref> [[Loango National Park]] in Gabon. She is a full professor at the Institute of Cognitive Science, [[Osnabrück University]], Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University |url=https://www.ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de/}}</ref>
== Career ==
Since 2017, Pika is the head of the Comparative BioCognition group at the Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University, Germany.<ref name=":0" />
In 1992, Pika did her first ethological internship with [[Wolfgang Wickler]] at the [[Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology|Max Planck Institute for Behavioural Physiology]] in [[Seewiesen]], Germany. She studied [[biology]] at the [[Technische Universität Darmstadt|Technical University Darmstadt]] and the [[University of Münster]]. Her specialization in ethology at the Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster and contact with Norbert Sachser led to a diploma thesis on the social behavior of three great ape species living in the [[Zürich Zoologischer Garten]] in collaboration with August A. Anzenberger and Bob Martin from the [[University of Zurich|University of Zürich]]. From 2000 to 2003, Pika did her PhD at the [[Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology]] in [[Leipzig]], supervised by [[Michael Tomasello]] and Norbert Sachser. In her thesis, she investigated gestural communication in [[bonobo]]s and gorillas in captivity. In 2006, she accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the [[University of Alberta]] in Canada to study gestural usage in bilingual humans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CV Pika |url=https://www.comparative-biocognition.de/fileadmin/redaktionell/CV_PikaS_fi_ForWebpage_04102023-1.pdf}}</ref>
== Research ==
Pika's research centers on the evolution and development of language, cognition and plasticity by focusing on model groups that are characterized by complex social relationships and networks. She uses a combination of methods of ethology, [[comparative psychology]], [[cognitive science]] and [[artificial intelligence]]. Pika's work contributed to a better understanding of learning involved in gesture acquisition,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pika |first1=Simone |last2=Fröhlich |first2=Marlen |date=July 2019 |title=Gestural acquisition in great apes: the Social Negotiation Hypothesis |journal=Animal Cognition |language=en |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=551–565 |doi=10.1007/s10071-017-1159-6 |issn=1435-9448 |pmc=6647412 |pmid=29368287}}</ref> gesture forms,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fröhlich |first1=Marlen |last2=Wittig |first2=Roman M. |last3=Pika |first3=Simone |date=January 2019 |title=The ontogeny of intentional communication in chimpanzees in the wild |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/desc.12716 |journal=Developmental Science |language=en |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=e12716 |doi=10.1111/desc.12716 |pmid=30156360 |s2cid=52110027 |issn=1363-755X|doi-access=free }}</ref> referential use,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pika |first1=Simone |last2=Bugnyar |first2=Thomas |date=2011-11-29 |title=The use of referential gestures in ravens (Corvus corax) in the wild |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=2 |issue=1 |page=560 |doi=10.1038/ncomms1567 |issn=2041-1723 |pmc=4377648 |pmid=22127056|bibcode=2011NatCo...2..560P }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pika |first1=Simone |last2=Mitani |first2=John |date=March 2006 |title=Referential gestural communication in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960982206011870 |journal=Current Biology |language=en |volume=16 |issue=6 |pages=R191–R192 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2006.02.037|pmid=16546066 |s2cid=2273018 |doi-access=free }}</ref> influence of experience and social matrices on communicative output.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fröhlich |first1=Marlen |last2=Wittig |first2=Roman M. |last3=Pika |first3=Simone |date=August 2016 |title=Play-solicitation gestures in chimpanzees in the wild: flexible adjustment to social circumstances and individual matrices |journal=Royal Society Open Science |language=en |volume=3 |issue=8 |pages=160278 |doi=10.1098/rsos.160278 |issn=2054-5703 |pmc=5108953 |pmid=27853603|bibcode=2016RSOS....360278F }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Luef |first1=Eva Maria |last2=Ter Maat |first2=Andries |last3=Jäger |first3=Manuela |last4=Pika |first4=Simone |date=2020-01-01 |title=The 'culture of two': Communication accommodation in ravens' (Corvus corax) nonvocal signaling |url=https://academic.oup.com/jole/article/5/1/1/5693719 |journal=Journal of Language Evolution |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=1–16 |doi=10.1093/jole/lzz008 |issn=2058-458X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Luef |first1=Eva Maria |last2=Ter Maat |first2=Andries |last3=Pika |first3=Simone |date=September 2017 |title=Vocal similarity in long-distance and short-distance vocalizations in raven pairs ( Corvus corax ) in captivity |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0376635717302255 |journal=Behavioural Processes |language=en |volume=142 |pages=1–7 |doi=10.1016/j.beproc.2017.05.013|pmid=28535928 |s2cid=21440907 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Prieur |first1=Jacques |last2=Pika |first2=Simone |last3=Barbu |first3=Stéphanie |last4=Blois-Heulin |first4=Catherine |date=September 2017 |title=Intraspecific gestural laterality in chimpanzees and gorillas and the impact of social propensities |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0006899317302366 |journal=Brain Research |language=en |volume=1670 |pages=52–67 |doi=10.1016/j.brainres.2017.05.033|pmid=28601632 |hdl=11858/00-001M-0000-002D-710D-F |s2cid=12045564 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> species-specific communication styles,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fröhlich |first1=Marlen |last2=Kuchenbuch |first2=Paul |last3=Müller |first3=Gudrun |last4=Fruth |first4=Barbara |last5=Furuichi |first5=Takeshi |last6=Wittig |first6=Roman M. |last7=Pika |first7=Simone |date=2016-05-23 |title=Unpeeling the layers of language: Bonobos and chimpanzees engage in cooperative turn-taking sequences |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=6 |issue=1 |page=25887 |doi=10.1038/srep25887 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=4876478 |pmid=27211477|bibcode=2016NatSR...625887F }}</ref> use of conversational rules in communicative interactions,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pika |first1=Simone |last2=Wilkinson |first2=Ray |last3=Kendrick |first3=Kobin H. |last4=Vernes |first4=Sonja C. |date=2018-06-13 |title=Taking turns: bridging the gap between human and animal communication |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |language=en |volume=285 |issue=1880 |pages=20180598 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2018.0598 |issn=0962-8452 |pmc=6015850 |pmid=29875303}}</ref> tool-use and behavioral plasticity,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pika |first1=Simone |last2=Klein |first2=Harmonie |last3=Bunel |first3=Sarah |last4=Baas |first4=Pauline |last5=Théleste |first5=Erwan |last6=Deschner |first6=Tobias |date=2019-05-23 |title=Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) exploit tortoises (Kinixys erosa) via percussive technology |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |page=7661 |doi=10.1038/s41598-019-43301-8 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=6533303 |pmid=31123270|bibcode=2019NatSR...9.7661P }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Boesch |first1=Christophe |last2=Kalan |first2=Ammie K. |last3=Mundry |first3=Roger |last4=Arandjelovic |first4=Mimi |last5=Pika |first5=Simone |last6=Dieguez |first6=Paula |last7=Ayimisin |first7=Emmanuel Ayuk |last8=Barciela |first8=Amanda |last9=Coupland |first9=Charlotte |last10=Egbe |first10=Villard Ebot |last11=Eno-Nku |first11=Manasseh |last12=Michael Fay |first12=J. |last13=Fine |first13=David |last14=Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar |first14=R. |last15=Hermans |first15=Veerle |date=2020-05-25 |title=Chimpanzee ethnography reveals unexpected cultural diversity |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-020-0890-1 |journal=Nature Human Behaviour |language=en |volume=4 |issue=9 |pages=910–916 |doi=10.1038/s41562-020-0890-1 |pmid=32451479 |s2cid=218877793 |issn=2397-3374}}</ref> development and complexity of cognition,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pika |first1=Simone |last2=Sima |first2=Miriam Jennifer |last3=Blum |first3=Christian R. |last4=Herrmann |first4=Esther |last5=Mundry |first5=Roger |date=2020-12-10 |title=Ravens parallel great apes in physical and social cognitive skills |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=10 |issue=1 |page=20617 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-77060-8 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=7728792 |pmid=33303790|bibcode=2020NatSR..1020617P }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sima |first1=Miriam Jennifer |last2=Matzinger |first2=Theresa |last3=Bugnyar |first3=Thomas |last4=Pika |first4=Simone |date=January 2018 |editor-last=Herberstein |editor-first=M. |title=Reconciliation and third‐party affiliation in carrion crows |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eth.12699 |journal=Ethology |language=en |volume=124 |issue=1 |pages=33–44 |doi=10.1111/eth.12699 |issn=0179-1613}}</ref> inter-species aggression<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Southern |first1=Lara M. |last2=Deschner |first2=Tobias |last3=Pika |first3=Simone |date=2021-07-19 |title=Lethal coalitionary attacks of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) on gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in the wild |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |page=14673 |doi=10.1038/s41598-021-93829-x |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=8290027 |pmid=34282175|bibcode=2021NatSR..1114673S }}</ref> and medical behavior.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mascaro |first1=Alessandra |last2=Southern |first2=Lara M. |last3=Deschner |first3=Tobias |last4=Pika |first4=Simone |date=February 2022 |title=Application of insects to wounds of self and others by chimpanzees in the wild |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960982221017322 |journal=Current Biology |language=en |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=R112–R113 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2021.12.045|pmid=35134354 |s2cid=246638843 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
== Awards ==
In 2010, Pika was awarded with the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award of the [[Alexander von Humboldt Foundation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Humboldt Foundation |url=https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/entdecken/newsroom/dossier-sofja-kovalevskaja-preis/sofja-kovalevskaja-preistraeger-2010}}</ref> In 2017, she received an EU-Consolidator grant (772000, TurnTaking)<ref>{{Cite web |title=European Research council 2017 |url=https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/erc_2017_cog_results_all_domains.pdf}}</ref> of the [[European Research Council]] (ERC) under the [[European Union]]'s [[Horizon 2020]] research and innovation program.
== Selected publications ==
# Mascaro, A., Southern, L. M., Deschner, T., & Pika, S. (2022). Application of insects to wounds of self and others by chimpanzees in the wild. ''Current Biology'', ''32'', R97-R115. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.12.045
# Pika, S., Sima, M. J., Blum, C. R., Herrmann, E., & Mundry, R. (2020). Ravens parallel great apes in physical and social cognitive skills. ''Scientific Reports'', ''10''(20617), 19. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77060-8
# Boesch, C., Kalan, A. K., Mundry, R., Arandjelovic, M., Pika, S., Dieguez, P., Ayimisin, E. A., Barciela, A., Coupland, C., Egbem, V. E., Eno-Nku, M., Fay, J. M., Fine, D., Hernandez-Aguilar, R. A., Hermans, V., Kadam, P., Kambi, M., Llana, M., Maretti, G., ... Kühl, H. S. (2020). Chimpanzee ethnography reveals unexpected cultural diversity. ''Nature Human Behaviour'', ''4'', 910-916. DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0890-1.
# Pika, S., & Deschner, T. (2019). A new window onto animal culture: The case of chimpanzee gesturing. Gesture, 18(2-3), 237-258. DOI: 10.1075/gest.19012.pik
# Pika, S., Klein, H., Bunel, S., Baas, P., Theleste, E., & Deschner, T. (2019). Wild chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes troglodytes'') exploit tortoises (''Kinixys erosa'') via percussive technology. ''Sci Rep'', ''9''(1), 7661. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43301-8
# Pika, S., & Fröhlich, M. (2019). Gestural acquisition in great apes: The social negotiation hypothesis. ''Animal Cognition'', ''22''(4), 551-565. DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1159-6
# Pika, S., Wilkinson, R., Kendrick, K. H., & Vernes, S. C. (2018). Taking turns: Bridging the gap between human and animal communication. ''Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences'', ''285''(20180598), 9. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0598
# Prieur, J., Barbu, S., Blois-Heulin, C., & Pika, S. (2017). Captive gorillas' manual laterality: The impact of gestures, manipulators and interaction specificity. ''Brain and Language'', ''175'', 130-145. DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.10.001
# Fröhlich, M., Kuchenbuch, P., Müller, G., Fruth, B., Furuichi, T., Wittig, R. M., & Pika, S. (2016). Unpeeling the layers of language: Bonobos and chimpanzees engage in cooperative turn-taking sequences. ''Scientific Reports'', ''6'', 25887. DOI: 10.1038/srep25887
# Pika, S., & Mitani, J. C. (2006). Referential gestural communication in wild chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes''). ''Current Biology'', ''16''(6), R191-R192. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2006.02.037
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://www.comparative-biocognition.de/ Webpage of the workgroup "Comparative BioCognition"] of Osnabrück University.
* [https://www.ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de/ Webpage of the Institute of Cognitive Science], Osnabrück University.
* [https://en.ozouga.org/ Ozouga.org] Webpage of the Ozouga Chimpanzee Project.
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:German women biologists]]
[[Category:Women primatologists]]
[[Category:Women ethologists]]
[[Category:University of Münster alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Technische Universität Darmstadt alumni]]
{{Improve categories|date=December 2023}}