Lecturer in Psychology
Psychology Cottrell Building Room 3B92 Faculty of Natural Sciences
I earned my PhD in 2014 from Arizona State University, then obtained three independent postdoctoral fellowships in computer simulation modelling (McGill University, Canada), virology (Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Germany) and disease signalling (Durham University, England). This diverse training underpins my collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to science. In 2019 I joined the University of Stirling's Psychology Department as a lecturer.
My work integrates disease ecology and animal cognition. I am interested in the role of cognition in the evolution of behavioural defences against infectious disease. This has both applied and theoretical implications.
I use a One Health approach to conservation. The One Health concept recognises that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are inextricably connected. By better understanding how animals communicate their health statuses and perceive the health cues of group-mates, we can improve our knowledge of how animals' responses to infected group-mates influence disease transmission dynamics. For example, if animals avoid infected group-mates, it may reduce transmission, but if they target sick and weakened competitors with aggression, it could accelerate transmission. This information can benefit conservation and zoonotic disease monitoring programs.
My work also has exciting new theoretical implications. Humans have a very unusual strategy for disease control -- we provide care to sick and infectious individuals. I am developing a novel theoretical framework which situates the evolution of human care-giving (for the sick) within the broader context of animal health and cognition.
I am always happy to chat with students about project ideas, so if you are interested in working with me, send me an email and I would be happy to meet with you. Possible topics also include:
A multidisciplinary approach to understanding the evolution of human healthcare networks
Human healthcare networks are unique in the animal kingdom. While many species provide care to kin (genetic relatives), humans are the only species which also provide widespread, cooperative care to strangers (i.e., doctors, nurses). Humans incorporate two overlapping, but complementary networks – kin care and stranger care. This PhD project will be a multidisciplinary investigation of how multi-level healthcare networks (kin care and stranger care) evolved in humans. It will include cross-cultural studies of the variation in healthcare networks in humans and developing interactive, game-based models which will simulate the evolution of multi-level care networks under various conditions. The results will be useful for understanding the formation, variation, and resilience of multi-level healthcare networks in humans, information that should have both theoretical and practical applications as we battle a global pandemic.
Article
Intergenerational Transmission of Human Parenting Styles to Human–Dog Relationships
Kuo CH & Kessler S (2024) Intergenerational Transmission of Human Parenting Styles to Human–Dog Relationships. Animals, 14 (7), p. 1038. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14071038
Article
Could care giving have altered the evolution of human immune strategies?
Gilbert BLP & Kessler SE (2024) Could care giving have altered the evolution of human immune strategies?. Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 12 (1), pp. 33-49. https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae004
Article
Kessler SE, Tsangaras K, Rasoloharijaona S, Radespiel U & Greenwood AD (2023) Long-term host-pathogen evolution of endogenous beta- and gammaretroviruses in mouse lemurs with little evidence of recent retroviral introgression. Virus Evolution, 9 (1), Art. No.: veac117. https://doi.org/10.1093/ve/veac117
Article
van Diepenbeek F & Kessler SE (2023) The role of the behavioural immune system on covid-19 lockdown attitudes: The relationship with authoritarianism and collectivism. Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 11 (1), pp. 502-515. https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoad037
Article
Gandia KM, Kessler SE & Buchanan-Smith HM (2023) Latitudinal and zoo specific zeitgebers influence circadian and circannual rhythmicity of behavior in captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1188566
Article
Gandia KM, Herrelko ES, Kessler SE & Buchanan-Smith HM (2023) Understanding Circadian and Circannual Behavioral Cycles of Captive Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) Can Help to Promote Good Welfare. Animals, 13 (15), Art. No.: 2401. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152401
Article
Marquès Gomila C, Kiene F, Klein A, Kessler SE, Zohdy S, Rakotondravony R, Durden LA & Radespiel U (2023) Host-related and environmental factors influence long-term ectoparasite infestation dynamics of mouse lemurs in northwestern Madagascar. American Journal of Primatology, 85 (6), Art. No.: e23494. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23494
Article
Nosková E, Modrý D, Baláž V, Červená B, Jirků‐Pomajbíková K, Zechmeisterová K, Leowski C, Petrželková KJ, Pšenková I, Vodička R, Kessler SE, Ngoubangoye B, Setchell JM & Pafčo B (2023) Identification of potentially zoonotic parasites in captive orangutans and semi‐captive mandrills: Phylogeny and morphological comparison. American Journal of Primatology, 85 (4), Art. No.: e23475. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23475
Article
Springer A, Durden LA, Kiene F, Klein A, Rakotondravony R, Ehlers J, Greiman SE, Blanco MB, Zohdy S, Kessler SE, Strube C & Radespiel U (2023) Molecular phylogenetics of the sucking louse genus Lemurpediculus (Insecta: Phthiraptera), ectoparasites of lemurs, with descriptions of three new species. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 20, pp. 138-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.02.002
Article
The gut microbiome of exudivorous marmosets in the wild and captivity
Malukiewicz J, Cartwright R, Dergam JA, Igayara CS, Kessler SE, Moreira SB, Nash LT, Nicola PA, Pereira LCM, Pissinatti A, Ruiz-Miranda CR, Ozga AT, Quirino AA, Roos C, Silva DL, Stone AC & Grativol AD (2022) The gut microbiome of exudivorous marmosets in the wild and captivity. Scientific Reports, 12 (1), Art. No.: 5049. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08797-7
Article
Kessler SE & Aunger R (2022) The evolution of the human healthcare system and implications for understanding our responses to COVID-19. Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 10 (1), pp. 87-107. https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoac004
Article
Weir S & Kessler SE (2022) The making of a (dog) movie star: The effect of the portrayal of dogs in movies on breed registrations in the United States. PLoS ONE, 17 (1), Art. No.: e0261916. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261916
Article
Olfactory signals and fertility in olive baboons
Vaglio S, Minicozzi P, Kessler SE, Walker D & Setchell JM (2021) Olfactory signals and fertility in olive baboons. Scientific Reports, 11, Art. No.: 8506. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87893-6
Article
Durden LA, Kessler SE, Radespiel U, Hasiniaina AF, Stekolnikov AA, Chalkowski K & Zohdy S (2021) Host Associations of Ectoparasites of the Gray Mouse Lemur, Microcebus murinus, in Northwestern Madagascar. Journal of Parasitology, 107 (1), pp. 108-114. https://doi.org/10.1645/20-145
Article
Hasiniaina AF, Radespiel U, Kessler SE, Evasoa MR, Rasoloharijaona S, Randrianambinina B, Zimmermann E, Schmidt S & Scheumann M (2020) Evolutionary significance of the variation in acoustic communication of a cryptic nocturnal primate radiation (Microcebus spp.). Ecology and Evolution, 10 (8), pp. 3784-3797. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6177
Article
Durden LA, Kessler SE, Boundenga L, Ngoubangoye B, Tsoumbou TA, Moussadji-Kinga CI, Halbwax M, Setchell JM, Nichols J & Greiman SE (2020) A New Species of Sucking Louse from the Mandrill from Gabon with a Review of Host Associations and Geographical Distributions, and Identification Keys to Members of the Genus Pedicinus (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Pedicinidae). Journal of Parasitology, 106 (2), pp. 221-232. https://doi.org/10.1645/19-170
Article
Why Care: Complex Evolutionary History of Human Healthcare Networks
Kessler SE (2020) Why Care: Complex Evolutionary History of Human Healthcare Networks. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Art. No.: 199. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00199
Article
Stekolnikov AA, Kessler SE, Matthee S, Hasiniaina AF, Radespiel U, Zimmermann E & Durden LA (2019) A new species of Schoutedenichia Jadin & Vercammen-Grandjean, 1954 from Madagascar and a re-description of S. dutoiti (Radford, 1948) from South Africa (Acariformes: Trombiculidae). Systematic Parasitology, 96 (8), pp. 703-713. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-019-09877-5
Article
Kessler SE, Bonnell TR, Setchell JM & Chapman CA (2018) Social Structure Facilitated the Evolution of Care-giving as a Strategy for Disease Control in the Human Lineage. Scientific Reports, 8 (1), Art. No.: 13997. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31568-2
Article
Does the grey mouse lemur use agonistic vocalisations to recognise kin?
Kessler SE, Radespiel U, Hasiniaina AIF, Nash LT & Zimmermann E (2018) Does the grey mouse lemur use agonistic vocalisations to recognise kin?. Contributions to Zoology, 87 (4), pp. 261-274. http://www.ctoz.nl/vol87/nr04/a03
Article
Durden LA, Kessler SE, Radespiel U, Zimmermann E, Hasiniaina AF & Zohdy S (2018) A New Species of Sucking Louse (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Polyplacidae) From the Gray Mouse Lemur, Microcebus murinus (Primates: Cheirogaleidae), in Madagascar. Journal of Medical Entomology, 55 (4), pp. 910-914. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjy046
Book Chapter
Kessler SE (2017) Prosimian Communication. In: Vonk J & Shackelford T (eds.) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing p. 6. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_456-1
Article
Selection to outsmart the germs: The evolution of disease recognition and social cognition
Kessler SE, Bonnell TR, Byrne RW & Chapman CA (2017) Selection to outsmart the germs: The evolution of disease recognition and social cognition. Journal of Human Evolution, 108, pp. 92-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.02.009
Book Chapter
Kessler SE (2017) Capture-Recapture. In: International Encyclopedia of Primatology: Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119179313.wbprim0006
Book Chapter
Kessler S, Radespiel U, Nash LT & Zimmermann E (2016) Modeling the origins of primate sociality: Social flexibility and kinship in mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.). In: Lehman S, Radespiel U & Zimmermann E (eds.) Dwarf and Mouse Lemurs of Madagascar: Biology, Behavior and Conservation Biogeography of the Cheirogaleidae. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge University Press (CUP), pp. 422-446.
Book Chapter
Kessler S, Radespiel U, Schaber K & Strube C (2016) Tiny samples from tiny lemurs: Methodological considerations for endoparasite analyses in mouse lemurs. In: Lehman S, Radespiel U & Zimmermann E (eds.) Dwarf and Mouse Lemurs of Madagascar: Biology, Behavior and Conservation Biogeography of the Cheirogaleidae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (CUP), pp. 210-219.
Article
Kessler SE, Scheumann M, Hanbury DB, Nash LT, Zimmermann E & Watson SL (2015) Screams in the Night: Pilot Study Reveals Moderate Evidence for Individual Differences in Lorisoid Vocalizations. International Journal of Primatology, 36 (3), pp. 666-678. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-015-9847-z
Article
Radespiel U, Schaber K, Kessler S, Schaarschmidt F & Strube C (2015) Variations in the excretion patterns of helminth eggs in two sympatric mouse lemur species (Microcebus murinus and M. ravelobensis) in northwestern Madagascar. Parasitology Research, 114 (3), pp. 941-954. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4259-0
Article
Kessler SE, Radespiel U, Hasiniaina AIF, Leliveld LMC, Nash LT & Zimmermann E (2014) Modeling the origins of mammalian sociality: moderate evidence for matrilineal signatures in mouse lemur vocalizations. Frontiers in Zoology, 11 (1), Art. No.: 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-9994-11-14
Article
Paternal kin recognition in the high frequency / ultrasonic range in a solitary foraging mammal
Kessler SE, Scheumann M, Nash LT & Zimmermann E (2012) Paternal kin recognition in the high frequency / ultrasonic range in a solitary foraging mammal. BMC Ecology, 12 (1), Art. No.: 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-12-26
Article
Grandmothering in captive Galago senegalensis braccatus (Senegal galago)
Kessler SE & Nash LT (2010) Grandmothering in captive Galago senegalensis braccatus (Senegal galago). African Primates, 7 (1), pp. 42-49. http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1200343/22598688/1367450407263/Afr_Prim_71_Kessler__Nash.pdf?token=%2FSP2H9fzOdqVs0WApEsG2PTCcsQ%3D
