About Us
The Behaviour Research Group is based in the School of Psychology at The University of Auckland, New Zealand. Our team of academic staff, students, interns, and volunteers investigate quantitative and experimental approaches to understanding animal and human behaviour, in experimental and natural environments.
Read more about our research areas here.
Dr Sarah Cowie
Lab Director
Professor Douglas Elliffe
Dr Rebecca Sharp
Emeritus Professor Michael Davison
Dr Stephanie Gomes-Ng
Lydia Beetham
Animal Technician
Our Students
Lael Poole
I have been studying at the University of Auckland since 2017, and am now a PhD student with the operant lab, coming to the end of my first year. I am studying how punishers can act to signal future behaviour rather than just suppress behaviour.
Rachel Hawkins
My name is Rachel and I am a PhD student with the Operant Behaviour Lab. My research involves investigating future-oriented behaviours, such as looking at whether pigeons and humans can use past experience to plan for future events.
Volunteers & Research Interns
Cynthia Gao, Gabriel Penarubia, Wenxuan Li, Darrilyn Li, Ella Metz, Charmaine Sun, Joie Lok, Breyten Chapple De Lange, Christina He
Lab Alumni
Rupi Singh, Honours (2023)
Anne Pan, Honours & Masters (2021-2023)
Fatimah Abdulamir, Honours & Masters (2021-2023)
Anita Bowring, PhD (2023)
Peter Kim, PhD (2023)
Johan Viklund, PhD (2023)
Georgia Keys, Honours (2022)
Estelle Lai, Capstone Student (2022)
Quinn Gray, Summer Scholar (2022)
Briar Dunn, Honours (2021)
Reema Khan, Honours (2021)
Edith Li, Honours (2021)
Sabine Blokker, Honours (2020)
Athena Macababbad, Honours & Masters (2018-2019)
Darren Baharrizki, Honours & Masters (2018-2019)
Don Li, PhD (2019)
Vikki Bland, Honours & PhD (2015-2018)
Jessica Langley, Honours & Masters (2017-2018)
Josie Kim, Honours & Masters (2017-2018)
Macky Wilkinson, Honours (2018)
John Bai, PhD (2017)
Chloe Browne, Honours (2017)
Brooke Hopkinson, Honours (2017)
San Xie, Honours (2017)
Collaborators
Dr John Y. H. Bai, University of Oldenburg
Associate Professor Jason Landon, Auckland University of Technology
Associate Professor Christopher Podlesnik, Auburn University
Professor Lewis Bizo, University of Technology Sydney