We are a comparative cognitive research laboratory based at the University of California- San Diego. Comparative cognition offers a way to determine what skills make us uniquely human, and measure how similar our abilities are to those of our closest relatives (the great apes) — and other non-human animals. Through this work, we can explore the evolutionary origins of the human mind. We are dedicated to researching the nature of human sociality: How did it develop? What makes human social life possible and sustainable- cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally? How similar is it to the social life of other animals? What is the role played by communication in the establishment of relationships? How do our cognitive behaviors change as we grow? These are a few of the questions we focus on.