Professor Thomas Suddendorf
Professor

Thomas Suddendorf

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 58341

Background

Thomas grew up in Germany and joined UQ in 1999 following postgraduate studies in New Zealand. He investigates the mental capacities in young children and in animals to answer fundamental questions about the nature and evolution of the human mind. His research has attracted several awards (incl. from the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, the Australian Psychological Society and the American Psychological Association) and his critically acclaimed book The Gap (e.g. see reviews in Nature, Science or the Wall Street Journal) is currently being translated into several languages.

Availability

Professor Thomas Suddendorf is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Cognitive and computational psychology Psychology

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework), University of Waikato
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Auckland

Research impacts

In the news

BBC Radio 4 - All in the Mind, Time travelling in the human mind

BBC Future about the intelligence gap

Reddit Ask Me Anything 2016

Zeitzeichen Article in German

Global Leadership Series Presentation

BBC Earth Many animals seem to kill themselves, but is it suicide?

Coverage of 2016 Current Biology paper on neonatal imitation covered by media such as Science Daily, NPR, ABC online, The Daily Mail, & The Conversation

Q & A with Thomas Suddendorf in Current Biology 2015

Radio and TV Featured frequently in media in the US, UK, Germany, and Australia, incl. radio (e.g., RN's Ockham's razor), TV (e.g., ABC what makes us human) and internet (e.g. TEDx talk)

Book reviews of THE GAP have appeared in e.g. Nature, The Wall Street Journal, Science, Scientific American Mind, The Times, Kirkus Reviews, Journal of the History of Biology, Australian Book Review, Times Higher Education & New Scientist.

Extracts: CNN, The Chronicles of Higher Education, HuffPo , Psychology Today, and Slate

Search Professor Thomas Suddendorf’s works on UQ eSpace

191 works between 1994 and 2025
All (191) Journal Article (144) Book Chapter (20) Conference Publication (11) Book (4) Other Outputs (12)

141 - 160 of 191 works

2008

Journal Article

Explaining human cognitive autapomorphies

Suddendorf, Thomas (2008). Explaining human cognitive autapomorphies. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31 (2), 147-148. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X08003737

Explaining human cognitive autapomorphies

2008

Book Chapter

Episodic memory and mental time travel

Suddendorf, Thomas and Corballis, M. C. (2008). Episodic memory and mental time travel. Handbook of Episodic Memory. (pp. 31-42) edited by Dere, K., Easton, A., Nadel, L. and Huston, J.. Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/S1569-7339(08)00203-8

Episodic memory and mental time travel

2007

Journal Article

Great ape cognition and the evolutionary roots of human imagination

Whiten, Andrew and Suddendorf, Thomas (2007). Great ape cognition and the evolutionary roots of human imagination. Proceedings of the British Academy, 147, 31-59.

Great ape cognition and the evolutionary roots of human imagination

2007

Journal Article

Visual self-recognition in mirrors and live videos: Evidence for a developmental asynchrony

Suddendorf, Thomas, Simcock, Gabrielle and Nielsen, Mark (2007). Visual self-recognition in mirrors and live videos: Evidence for a developmental asynchrony. Cognitive Development, 22 (2), 185-196. doi: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2006.09.003

Visual self-recognition in mirrors and live videos: Evidence for a developmental asynchrony

2007

Journal Article

Participant loss due to "fussiness" in infant visual paradigms: A review of the last 20 years

Slaughter, Virginia and Suddendorf, Thomas (2007). Participant loss due to "fussiness" in infant visual paradigms: A review of the last 20 years. Infant Behavior & Development, 30 (3), 505-514. doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2006.12.006

Participant loss due to "fussiness" in infant visual paradigms: A review of the last 20 years

2007

Book Chapter

Memory, Time, and Language

Corballis, M. and Suddendorf, Thomas (2007). Memory, Time, and Language. What makes us human?. (pp. 17-36) edited by Pasternak, C.. United Kingdom: Oneworld Publications.

Memory, Time, and Language

2007

Journal Article

Mental time travel across the disciplines: The future looks bright

Suddendorf, Thomas and Corballis, M. C. (2007). Mental time travel across the disciplines: The future looks bright. Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 30 (3), 335-345. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X0700221X

Mental time travel across the disciplines: The future looks bright

2007

Journal Article

The evolution of foresight: What is mental time travel and is it unique to humans?

Suddendorf, T. and Corballis, M. C. (2007). The evolution of foresight: What is mental time travel and is it unique to humans?. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 30 (3), 299-313. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X07001975

The evolution of foresight: What is mental time travel and is it unique to humans?

2007

Book Chapter

Great ape cognition and the evolutionary roots of human imagination

Whiten, Andrew and Suddendorf, Thomas (2007). Great ape cognition and the evolutionary roots of human imagination. Imaginative Minds. (pp. 31-59) edited by Ilona Roth. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.5871/bacad/9780197264195.003.0002

Great ape cognition and the evolutionary roots of human imagination

2006

Journal Article

Mirror self-recognition beyond the face

Nielsen, Mark, Suddendorf, Thomas and Slaughter, Virginia (2006). Mirror self-recognition beyond the face. Child Development, 77 (1), 176-185. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00863.x

Mirror self-recognition beyond the face

2006

Journal Article

Foresight and evolution of the human mind

Suddendorf, T (2006). Foresight and evolution of the human mind. Science, 312 (5776), 1006-1007. doi: 10.1126/science.1129217

Foresight and evolution of the human mind

2006

Conference Publication

Invisible displacement understanding in primates on a new task

Collier-Baker, E. and Suddendorf, T. (2006). Invisible displacement understanding in primates on a new task. The 33rd Australasian Experimental Psychology Conference, London, 20-23 April, 2006. London: Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.1080/00049530600940016

Invisible displacement understanding in primates on a new task

2006

Journal Article

Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and 2-year-old children (Homo sapiens) understand double invisible displacement?

Collier-Baker, E and Suddendorf, T (2006). Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and 2-year-old children (Homo sapiens) understand double invisible displacement?. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 120 (2), 89-97. doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.120.2.89

Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and 2-year-old children (Homo sapiens) understand double invisible displacement?

2006

Journal Article

Primates and evolution of the human mind.

Suddendorf, T. (2006). Primates and evolution of the human mind.. Dialogue, 25 (3), 50-58.

Primates and evolution of the human mind.

2006

Conference Publication

The development of self-recognition in mirrors and live videos

Suddendorf, T., Simcock, G., Nielsen, M. and Collier-Baker, E. (2006). The development of self-recognition in mirrors and live videos. 33rd Australasian Experimental Psychology Conference, Bardon Conference Centre, Brisbane, 20-23 April, 2006. London: Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.1080/00049530600940016

The development of self-recognition in mirrors and live videos

2006

Book Chapter

Imitation and self-recogntion in autism: In search of an explanation

Nielsen, M. G., Suddendorf, T. and Dissanayake, C. (2006). Imitation and self-recogntion in autism: In search of an explanation. Imitation and the Social Mind: Autism and Typical Development. (pp. 138-197) edited by S.J. Rogers and J.H.G. Williams. New York, NY United States: The Guilford Press.

Imitation and self-recogntion in autism: In search of an explanation

2006

Journal Article

Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) understand single invisible displacement?

Collier-Baker, Emma, Davis, Joanne M., Nielsen, Mark and Suddendorf, Thomas (2006). Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) understand single invisible displacement?. Animal Cognition, 9 (1), 55-61. doi: 10.1007/s10071-005-0004-5

Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) understand single invisible displacement?

2005

Journal Article

Recalling yesterday and predicting tomorrow

Busby, Jane and Suddendorf, Thomas (2005). Recalling yesterday and predicting tomorrow. Cognitive Development, 20 (3), 362-372. doi: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2005.05.002

Recalling yesterday and predicting tomorrow

2005

Journal Article

Making decisions with the future in mind: Developmental and comparative identification of mental time travel

Suddendorf, Thomas and Busby, Janie (2005). Making decisions with the future in mind: Developmental and comparative identification of mental time travel. Learning And Motivation, 36 (2), 110-125. doi: 10.1016/j.lmot.2005.02.010

Making decisions with the future in mind: Developmental and comparative identification of mental time travel

2005

Journal Article

Imitation recognition in a captive chimpanzee (pan troglodytes)

Nielsen, M. G., Collier-Baker, E., Davis, J. M. and Suddendorf, T. (2005). Imitation recognition in a captive chimpanzee (pan troglodytes). Animal Cognition, 8 (1), 31-36. doi: 10.1007/s10071-004-0232-0

Imitation recognition in a captive chimpanzee (pan troglodytes)

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2027
    Mapping children's foresight capacities
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Gaining control of the future: The cognitive development of foresight
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Episodic foresight and ageing
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Enhancing Realism in Psychological Research.
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2013
    Charting the prevalence, time course and social-cognitive correlates of neonatal imitation.
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    Thinking about the future: The nature and development of mental time travel
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    Evolution of Mind: The representational capacities of gibbons (H. syndactylus) and the common ancestor of humans and apes.
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005
    NHMRC_Equipment Grant = Refurbishment and equipment for Early Cognitive Development Unit and Video equipment for cognitive testing of children, adolescents and adults
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2004
    The nature of self-recognition: novel approaches to vexing questions
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 1999
    The development of concepts of self and time - investigations with digitized feedback
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Thomas Suddendorf is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investigating the understanding of probability and plausible deniability in young children and primates

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Recognising the future utility of a solution: A foresight perspective on the development of innovation in children

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Innovation: When do children recognise future utility?

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Gaining control of the future: The Cognitive Development of Foresight

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Gaining control of the future: The Cognitive Development of Foresight

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investigating the understanding of possibility and probability in young children and primates

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Mechanisms and functions of reasoning about possibilities

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Julie Henry, Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Impact of Intergroup Violence on the Evolution of Human Psychology

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Brendan Zietsch

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Thomas Suddendorf directly for media enquiries about:

  • Brain and cognition
  • Brain development
  • Brain evolution
  • Children and cognition
  • Cognition
  • Cognition - developmental perspectives
  • Development and cognition
  • Evolution and brain cognition
  • Human development and cognition
  • Psychology - cognition

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