DDL - UMR 5596
ISH - Bat C
14 avenue Berthelot
69007 Lyon
Tél : 04 72 72 64 12
Fax : 04 72 72 65 90
Contact

All Members

 You are here : Home /  Research center /  Members  / CV
France  Anglais  Last update : 21/04/2022     

Elisa DEMURU

Post-doctoral researcher

 

elisa.demuru@cnrs.fr

Google Scholar

Teams :   DiLiS 


  Training and professional background
  Research interests
  Fieldwork
  Awards and research grants
  Teaching
  Main publications and conferences

I am an ethologist interested in the study of communication in primates. My expertise focuses particularly on the bonobo, human’s closest living relative along with the chimpanzee.
My postdoctoral project aims at exploring the effect of early social experience on the development of communicative abilities in bonobos by analyzing playful interactions. Moreover, I am studying how bonobos communicate in the foraging and aggressive contexts.
My studies stem from the collaboration between the Laboratoire Dynamique Du Langage and the Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle of the University of Saint-Etienne within the Project ADYN-BONOBO of the LabEX ASLAN.


TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND


 

PhD in Behavioural Biology - University of Parma, Italy
Emotional and intentional communication in bonobos (Pan paniscus)

 

Master in Evolution of Animal and Human Behaviour - University of Torino, Italy
Audience effect and multimodality in bonobo communication (Pan paniscus)

 

Bachelor Degree in Natural Sciences - University of Torino, Italy
The impact of fishing on the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in Sardinia

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS


 

Social Cognition

 

Evolution of Human Language

 

Primate Communication

 

Empathy

 

Play Behaviour

 

FIELDWORK


 

Behavioural Data Collection on Bonobos

  • La Vallée des Singes (France - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019)
  • Lola Ya Bonobo (Democratic Republic of Congo - 2018)
  • Planckendael Zoo (Belgium - 2017)
  • Wilhelma Zoo (Germany - 2009, 2015)
  • Apenheul Primate Park (The Netherlands - 2009)

  •  

    AWARDS AND RESEARCH GRANTS


     

    Awards

  • 2019: Prix AAUL Best foreign Post-Doctoral Researcher of the University of Lyon (3000 €)
  • 2012: Optime Award, Recognition of Academic Value – Best Graduated Student of 2011-2012
  • 2011: Best Oral Presentation, XX National Congress of the Association of Italian Primatologists

  •  

    TEACHING


     

    2018-2019 / 2019-2020 / 2020-2021 / 2021-2022

  • TD ANIMAL COGNITION - L2 Sciences Cognitives - Université Lumière Lyon 2
  • CM ANIMAL COGNITION - L2 Sciences Cognitives - Université Lumière Lyon 2

  •  

    LA SCIENCE TAILLE XX ELLES - Women & Science

      I am very proud to be one of the women scientists taking part in the project "LA SCIENCE TAILLE XX ELLES" fostered by the association "Femmes & Sciences" which aims to encourage girls to undertake careers in Science.

      If you want to know more, please visit:
      www.femmesetsciences.fr/lascience-taillexxelles/lyon/

    MAIN PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES
    LONG VERSION / SHOW SHORT VERSION


    Edited books
     

    Demuru, E. & Giacoma, C. (eds), 2022, "Interacting primates: the biological roots of human communication", Taylor & Francis - Ethology, Ecology & Evolution


    Chapters in books
     

    Palagi, E. & Demuru, E., 2017, "Pan paniscus or Pan ludens? Bonobos, playful attitude and social tolerance", in BONOBOS: Unique in Mind, Brain and Behavior, Hare, B. & Yamamoto, S. (eds), Oxford University Press


    Journals
     

    Caselli, M., Russo, E., Guéry, J.P., Demuru, E. & Norscia, I., 2023, "More Than Just Kibbles: Keeper Familiarity and Food Can Affect Bonobo Behavior", Animals, 13


     

    Caselli, M., Malaman, B., Cordoni, G., Guéry, J.P., Kok, J., Demuru, E. & Norscia, I., 2023, "Not lost in translation: Changes in social dynamics in Bonobos after colony relocation and fusion with another group", Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 261


     

    Demuru, E., Clay, Z. & Norscia, I., 2022, "What makes us apes? The emotional building blocks of intersubjectivity in hominids", Ethology Ecology and Evolution, 34


     

    Cordoni, G., Pirarba, L., Elies, S., Demuru, E., Guéry, J.P. & Norscia, I., 2022, "Adult–adult play in captive lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)", Primates, 1


     

    Norscia, I., Caselli, M., De Meo, G., Cordoni, G., Guéry, J.P. & Demuru, E., 2022, "Yawn contagion in bonobos: Another group, another story", American Journal of Primatology, 84


     

    Demuru, E. & Giacoma, C., 2022, "Interacting primates: the biological roots of human communication", Ethology Ecology and Evolution, 3


     

    Demuru, E., Caselli, M., Guéry, J.P., Michelet, C., Alexieff, F. & Norscia, I., 2022, "Female bonobos show social swelling by synchronizing their maximum swelling and increasing bonding", Scientific Reports, 12


     

    Cordoni, G., Gioia, M., Demuru, E. & Norscia, I., 2021, "The dark side of play: play fighting as a substitute for real fighting in domestic pigs, Sus scrofa.", Animal Behaviour , 175, pp. 21-31


     

    Anzà, S., Demuru, E. & Palagi, E., 2021, "Sex and grooming as exchange commodities in female bonobos’ daily biological market", Scientific Reports, 11


     

    Demuru, E., Pellegrino, F., Dediu, D. & Levréro, F., 2020, "Foraging postures are a potential communicative signal in female bonobos", Scientific Reports, 10:15431


     

    Demuru, E., Ferrari, P. & Palagi, E., 2018, "Is birth attendance a uniquely human feature? New evidence suggests that Bonobo females protect and support the parturient", Evolution and Human Behavior, 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2018.05.003


     

    Palagi, E., Leone, A., Demuru, E. & Ferrari, P., 2018, "High-ranking geladas protect and comfort others after conflicts", Scientific Reports, 8:15291


     

    Baragli, P., Demuru, E., Scopa, C. & Palagi, E., 2017, "Are horses capable of mirror self-recognition? A pilot study.", PLoS ONE, 12:5, pp. e0176717


     

    Norscia, I., Demuru, E. & Palagi, E., 2016, "Difference in contagious yawning between susceptible men and women: why not?", Royal Society Open Science, 3:9, pp. 1075 – 1102


     

    Cordoni, G., Demuru, E., Ceccarelli, E. & Palagi, E., 2016, "Play, aggression and reconciliation in preschool children: What matters?", Behaviour, 153:9-11, pp. 1075-1102


     

    Norscia, I., Demuru, E. & Palagi, E., 2016, "She more than he: gender bias supports the empathic nature of yawn contagion in Homo sapiens", Royal Society Open Science, 3:2, pp. 150459


     

    Palagi, E., Cordoni, G., Demuru, E. & Bekoff, M., 2016, "Fair play and its connection with social tolerance, reciprocity and the ethology of peace", Behaviour, 153:9-11, pp. 1195 – 1216


     

    Palagi, E., Stanyon, R. & Demuru, E., 2015, "Play to learn, teach by play", Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 38


     

    Demuru, E., Ferrari, P. & Palagi, E., 2015, "Emotionality and intentionality in bonobo playful communication", Animal Cognition, 18, pp. 333-344


     

    Palagi, E., Norscia, I. & Demuru, E., 2014, "Yawn contagion in humans and bonobos: emotional affinity matters more than species", PeerJ, 2, pp. e519


     

    Palagi, E., Dall'Olio, S., Demuru, E. & Stanyon, R., 2014, "Exploring the evolutionary foundations of empathy: consolation in monkeys", Evolution and Human Behavior, 35, pp. 341-349


     

    Demuru, E. & Palagi, E., 2012, "In Bonobos Yawn Contagion Is Higher among Kin and Friends", PloS ONE, 7, pp. e49613




    ASLAN -  Université de Lyon -  CNRS -  Université Lumière Lyon 2 -  MSH-LSE -  IXXI -  DDL :  Contact |  Terms of use |