Trans-species psychology is the field of psychology that states that humans and nonhuman animals share commonalities in cognition (thinking) and emotions (feelings). It was established by Gay A. Bradshaw, American ecologist and psychologist.[1]
Trans-species psychology, often referred to as a "science of sentience", argues that existing scientific evidence points to a common model of brain, mind, and behavior for humans and nonhuman animals.[1] Bradshaw claims the theory and data from neuroscience, ethology, and psychology, both current and dating back through the evolutionary biology research of Charles Darwin in the mid-1800s, shows that evolution conserves brain and mind across species.[2][3] Humans and other animals share a common capacity to think, feel, and experience themselves and their lives. Some mammals have demonstrated the ability to experience empathy, culture, self-awareness, consciousness, psychological trauma, mourning rituals, and complex communication abilities.[4][5][6][7][8]
The knowledge that nonhuman animals have the ability to think and feel in complex ways has also brought the understanding of their capacity to experience psychological trauma and suffering. Trans-species psychology seeks to prevent and treat trauma in all animals through increased scientific understanding.[1]
The prefix trans is a Latin noun meaning "across" or "beyond", and it is used to describe the comparability of brain, mind, and behavior across animal species. In an interview, G.A. Bradshaw stated that the trans affixed to psychology "re-embeds humans within the larger matrix of the animal kingdom by erasing the 'and' between humans and animals that has been used to demarcate and reinforce the false notion that humans are substantively different cognitively and emotionally from other species".[9]
- ^ a b c Bradshaw, G.A. (2005). Elephant trauma and recovery: from human violence to trans-species psychology. Doctoral dissertation Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara.
- ^ Bradshaw, G. A., & Schore, A. N. (2007). How Elephants are Opening Doors: Developmental Neuroethology, Attachment and Social Context. Ethology, 113(5), 426-436. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.2007.01333.x
- ^ Cantor, C. (2009). Post-traumatic stress disorder: evolutionary perspectives. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43(11), 1038-1048. doi:10.3109/00048670903270407
- ^ Bradshaw, G.A., Capaldo, T, Lindner, L & G. Grow. (2009). Developmental context effects on bicultural post-trauma self repair in Chimpanzees. Developmental Psychology, 45, 1376-1388.
- ^ Poole, J.H and Moss, C. J. 2008. Elephant sociality and complexity: The scientific evidence.In: Elephants and Ethics: Toward a morality of Co-existence. C. Wemmer K. Christen (Eds.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
- ^ Public Library of Science (2007, June 25). Human-like Altruism Shown In Chimpanzees. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070625085134.htm
- ^ "Ship Noise Drowns Out Whale Talk, a Threat to Mating". Live Science. 20 February 2005.
- ^ Bates, L.A., Lee, P.C., Njiraini, N., Poole, J.H., Sayialel, K., Sayialel, S., Moss, C.J. Byrne, R.W. (2008). Do elephants show Empathy? Journal of Consciousness Studies, 15, No. 10-11, pp. 204-25.
- ^ Bradshaw, G.A. 2010 interview. Animal Visions, Retrieved Nov. 2, 2011. (http://animalvisions.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/trans-species-living-an-interview-with-gay-bradshaw/)