Maria Maust-Mohl, PhD
Dr. Maria Maust-Mohl's ECHO (Ethology, Cognition, and Human-Animal Observations) Lab investigates the evolution, mechanisms, and functions of behavior, communication, and cognition across species. Grounded in the scientific principles of psychology, the lab focuses on understanding how animals perceive, interact with, and adapt to their environments as well as examining impacts of human-animal interactions.
A primary area of Dr. Maust-Mohl's research examines the behavior and communication of animals. Because relatively little is known about the communication systems of certain species such as hippos, much of this work involves documenting and describing their behavioral repertoires and vocalizations, identifying species-specific acoustic signals, and distinguishing biologically meaningful sounds from environmental noise. Building upon these foundational descriptions, the lab investigates the acoustic characteristics of these signals and their relationships to behavioral contexts to better understand their mechanisms, functions, and evolutionary origins.
A second line of her research explores human perceptions of animals and the human-animal bond. This work investigates how people evaluate different groups of animals—including companion animals, farm animals, and wild animals—and their perceived capacity for cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, memory, and emotion. In addition, the lab seeks to examine how human experiences and interactions with animals in various capacities influence perceptions of animals, relationships with animals, and mental well-being. Understanding these perceptions has important implications for animal welfare, conservation efforts, ethical decision-making, and the broader human-animal relationship.
Recognizing that animal behavior research often requires specialized facilities, field access, and interdisciplinary expertise, Dr. Maust-Mohl maintains collaborative partnerships with researchers in psychology, biology, comparative anatomy, and related disciplines. Collaborations with researchers at other academic institutions, zoological parks, aquariums, and conservation organizations support innovative approaches to studying humans and non-human animals. Students in the lab work as a team and can be involved in all stages of the research process, from contributing to current work and developing new projects in these research areas. Through an integrative and interdisciplinary approach, Dr. Maust-Mohl's ECHO lab seeks to advance our understanding of animal behavior while contributing to scientific knowledge about the connections between humans and other species.
