Gabriela-Alina Sauciuc

Since becoming affiliated with Lund University, my research has focused on the development and evolution of social cognitive capacities and advanced cognition. In particular, I have conducted studies on affective forecasting and imitation abilities. These topics have been addressed in studies with human infants, chimpanzees and Sumatran orangutans. Currently, I am involved in a project on behaviour synchronisation and rhythm perception in chimpanzees, and a project on the development of socio-cognitive abilities in orangutans.

My previous research is related to my doctoral degrees, in Romance Philology (University of Bucharest, 2007), and in Cognitive Semiotics (Aarhus University, 2011). My first doctoral thesis focused on the role of primary interjections in everyday conversations. That is, I studied odd utterances such as oh, wow, aha – which by some are theorized as being a human equivalent of animal vocalisations and an expression of affect. During a research stage at Aarhus University (2002-2003), I grew more and more fond of the cognitive sciences. After completing my doctoral thesis on interjections, I returned to Aarhus in 2006, where I enrolled as a master student in Cognitive Semiotics. This was followed by a doctoral degree in the same field. This time with a focus on emotion and cognition, through an investigation of emotion categories and concepts based on data collected in multiple languages. In 2011, I came in contact with Lund University Primate Research Station Furuvik and began collaborating with dr. Tomas Persson and dr. Mathias Osvath.