Elsa Addessi

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About

Elsa Addessi is a leading primatologist whose research illuminates the evolutionary roots of human decision-making, particularly in the realms of economic choice, social learning, and self-control. Her work bridges behavioral ecology and comparative psychology, using non-human primates as a window into the cognitive mechanisms underlying risk-taking, delay of gratification, and social influence. A standout contribution is her highly cited 2014 review, "Nonhuman gamblers: lessons from rodents, primates, and robots," which synthesizes findings across species to argue that studying gambling-like behaviors in animals—from rats to capuchins—can reveal the neural and psychological underpinnings of pathological gambling in humans. This paper, with 38 citations, exemplifies her talent for translating comparative research into insights relevant to human health. Addessi’s broader impact is evident in her pioneering studies on how capuchin monkeys learn socially about food preferences and how they weigh immediate versus delayed rewards, work that has shaped our understanding of economic rationality in animals. Her research is essential reading for students of behavioral biology, offering a compelling case that the seeds of our most complex financial decisions are visible in the choices of our primate cousins.