Abstract or Keywords
This commentary provides an updated summary of how comparative cognition is approached by researchers based at primarily undergraduate institutions. Because of the difficulties in supporting traditional laboratories, we highlight a number of nontraditional research methodologies that can be accessed by undergraduate students. We also provide advantages and disadvantages of these alternate methodologies. We promote the need for interdisciplinary study of animal cognition topics in in situ and ex situ settings, as well as call for an expansion of cognitive abilities for application to animal welfare and conservation efforts. Although the comparative cognition field faces challenges in funding and resources, emerging technologies and interdisciplinary collaborations offer hope. We explore topics critical to the advancement of comparative cognition while highlighting practicalities needed to achieve this goal. From our primarily undergraduate institution (PUI) perspective, we examine the current state of the discipline and share challenges and successes we have encountered through more than 20 years of research.