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)

161 - 180 of 191 works

2004

Journal Article

How primatology can inform us about the evolution of the humand mind

Suddendorf, T. (2004). How primatology can inform us about the evolution of the humand mind. Australian Psychologist, 39 (3), 180-187. doi: 10.1080/00050060412331295117

How primatology can inform us about the evolution of the humand mind

2004

Conference Publication

Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) understand invisible displacement?

Collier-Baker, E, Davis, JM, Suddendorf, T and Nielsen, M (2004). Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) understand invisible displacement?. BASEL: KARGER.

Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) understand invisible displacement?

2004

Journal Article

Do dogs (canis familiaris) understand invisible displacement?

Collier-Baker, Emma, Davis, Joanne M. and Suddendorf, Thomas (2004). Do dogs (canis familiaris) understand invisible displacement?. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 118 (4), 421-433. doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.118.4.421

Do dogs (canis familiaris) understand invisible displacement?

2004

Conference Publication

The nature of early self-recognition

Suddendorf, T., Nielson, M., Slaughter, V. and Simcock, G. (2004). The nature of early self-recognition. 39th Conference of the Australian Psychological Society, Sydney, Australia, 29 September - 3 October 2004. CARLTON: Taylor & Francis.

The nature of early self-recognition

2004

Journal Article

Visual-auditory integration during speech imitation in autism

Williams, J. H. G., Massaro, D. W., Peel, N. J., Bosseler, A. and Suddendorf, T. (2004). Visual-auditory integration during speech imitation in autism. Research In Developmental Disabilities, 25 (6), 559-575. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2004.01.008

Visual-auditory integration during speech imitation in autism

2003

Journal Article

Mental time travel in animals?

Suddendorf, Thomas and Busby, Janie (2003). Mental time travel in animals?. Trends In Cognitive Sciences, 7 (9), 391-396. doi: 10.1016/S1364-6613(03)00187-6

Mental time travel in animals?

2003

Journal Article

Like it or not? The mental time travel debate: Reply to Clayton et al

Suddendorf, Thomas and Busby, Janie (2003). Like it or not? The mental time travel debate: Reply to Clayton et al. Trends In Cognitive Sciences, 7 (10), 437-438. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2003.08.010

Like it or not? The mental time travel debate: Reply to Clayton et al

2003

Journal Article

Early representational insight: 24-month-olds can use a photo to find an object in the world

Suddendorf, T. (2003). Early representational insight: 24-month-olds can use a photo to find an object in the world. Child Development, 74 (3), 896-904. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00574

Early representational insight: 24-month-olds can use a photo to find an object in the world

2003

Book Chapter

Reinterpreting the Mentality of Apes

Suddendorf, Thomas and Whiten, Andrew (2003). Reinterpreting the Mentality of Apes. From Mating to Mentality: Evaluating Evolutionary Psychology. (pp. 173-196) edited by K. Sterelny and J. Fitness. New York: Psychology Press. doi: 10.4324/9780203484708

Reinterpreting the Mentality of Apes

2003

Conference Publication

Lip-reading and visual-auditory integration during speech imitation in autism

Massaro, D.D., Williams, J, Suddendorf, T., Bosseler, A and Peel, N (2003). Lip-reading and visual-auditory integration during speech imitation in autism. AISB '03 Cognition in Machines and Animals, Aberystwyth / University of Wales, 7-11 April, 2003. Wales: The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence.

Lip-reading and visual-auditory integration during speech imitation in autism

2002

Journal Article

A brief history of monkey business

Suddendorf, T. (2002). A brief history of monkey business. Biology & Philosophy, 17 (5), 703-713. doi: 10.1023/A:1022528107957

A brief history of monkey business

2001

Journal Article

Mental evolution and development: Evidence for secondary representation in children, great apes, and other animals

Suddendorf, Thomas and Whiten, Andrew (2001). Mental evolution and development: Evidence for secondary representation in children, great apes, and other animals. Psychological Bulletin, 127 (5), 629-650. doi: 10.1037//0033-2909.127.5.629

Mental evolution and development: Evidence for secondary representation in children, great apes, and other animals

2001

Journal Article

Imitation, mirror neurons and autism

Williams, JHG, Whiten, A, Suddendorf, T and Perrett, DI (2001). Imitation, mirror neurons and autism. Neuroscience And Biobehavioral Reviews, 25 (4), 287-295. doi: 10.1016/S0149-7634(01)00014-8

Imitation, mirror neurons and autism

2001

Journal Article

An evaluation of a suburban railway pedestrian crossing safety programme

Lobb, B, Harre, N and Suddendorf, T (2001). An evaluation of a suburban railway pedestrian crossing safety programme. Accident Analysis And Prevention, 33 (2), 157-165. doi: 10.1016/S0001-4575(00)00026-9

An evaluation of a suburban railway pedestrian crossing safety programme

2001

Book Chapter

A developmental link between the production of gestural representation and understanding of mental representation

Suddendorf, T. (2001). A developmental link between the production of gestural representation and understanding of mental representation. Theory in Context and Out. (pp. 217-231) edited by S. Reifel. Westport, Connecticut: Ablex Publishing.

A developmental link between the production of gestural representation and understanding of mental representation

2001

Journal Article

Meta-representation and secondary representation

Whiten, A. and Suddendorf, T. (2001). Meta-representation and secondary representation. Trends In Cognitive Sciences, 5 (9), 378-378. doi: 10.1016/S1364-6613(00)01734-4

Meta-representation and secondary representation

2000

Conference Publication

Various

Suddendorf, T. (2000). Various. Symposium on the Nature of Intelligence, Novartis Foundation, London, 30 Nov - 2 December, 1999. Chichester, U.K.: John Wiley.

Various

1999

Journal Article

Pantomime and theory of mind

Suddendorf, Thomas, Fletcher-Flinn, Claire and Johnston, Leah (1999). Pantomime and theory of mind. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 160 (1), 31-45. doi: 10.1080/00221329909595378

Pantomime and theory of mind

1999

Journal Article

Children’s understanding of the relation between delayed video representation and current reality: A test for self-awareness?

Suddendorf, Thomas (1999). Children’s understanding of the relation between delayed video representation and current reality: A test for self-awareness?. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 72 (3), 157-176. doi: 10.1006/jecp.1998.2485

Children’s understanding of the relation between delayed video representation and current reality: A test for self-awareness?

1999

Journal Article

Reconstructing the evolution of language: Early-bloomers versus late-bloomers theories

Suddendorf, Thomas (1999). Reconstructing the evolution of language: Early-bloomers versus late-bloomers theories. Psycoloquy, 10 (080), 1-5.

Reconstructing the evolution of language: Early-bloomers versus late-bloomers theories

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

    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

    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

    The Impact of Intergroup Violence on the Evolution of Human Psychology

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Brendan Zietsch

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Mechanisms and functions of reasoning about possibilities

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Julie Henry, Dr Jonathan Redshaw

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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