BSc (Bristol),PhD (Otago), DSc (Auckland)
FRSNZ, FABAI

Room: HSB 531
Email: m.davison@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: +64 9 3737599 88540 (office) or 88486 (lab);
Mobile: 027 448 4912

Director, Experimental Analysis of Behaviour Research Unit
Honorary Professor, The Liggins Institute.


Research

My basic interest is in quantitative theories of choice and behaviour allocation, and in empirical research to gain data to develop and test these theories.  I do research on simple choice, on the dynamics of changing choice, foraging, and on the stimulus control of choice (signal-detection and the theory thereof).  In all these areas, I am interested both in steady state data and theories, and also in fine-grained local effects. 
      Recently, I have been spending time trying to show that we have been wrong about the Law of Effect since 1898.

Expertise

Quantitative modelling
Single-subject design
Nonparametrics
MedState Notation
PowerBASIC


Selected Publications:

Books:

Commons, M.L., Nevin, J.A., & Davison, M.C. (Eds.) (1991).  Signal detection:  Mechanisms, models, and applications.  Hillsdale, NJ:  Erlbaum. 285 pp.

Davison, M. & McCarthy, D. (1988).  The matching law:  A research review.  Hillsdale, NJ:  Erlbaum.

Davison, M. & Elliffe, D. (2009). Variance matters:  The shape of a datum.  Behavioural Processes.  May issue.

Baum, W. & Davison, M. (2009).  Modeling the dynamics of choice.  Behavioural Processes.  May issue.

Mora, C.V., Davison, M., &  Walker, M.M. (under review).  Review: Conditioning as a technique for studying the sensory systems involved in animal orientation, homing and navigation.  Journal of Navigation.

Boutros, N., Davison, M. & Elliffe, D. (2009).  Conditional reinforcers and informative stimuli in a constant environment.  Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 91, 41-60.

Miles, J.L., Huber, K., Thompson, N.M., Davison, M., Breier, B.H. (2009)  Moderate daily exercise activates distinct pathways of enhanced metabolic flexibility to prevent prenatally-induced obesity.  Endocrinology, 150, 179-186.

Miles, J.L., Landon, J., Davison, M., Krägeloh, C., Thompson, N.M., Triggs, C.M. & Breier, B.H. (2009).  Prenatally undernourished rats show increased preference for wheel running versus lever pressing for food in a choice task.  British Journal of Nutrition, 101, 902-908.

Elliffe, D., Davison, M. & Landon, J. (2008)).  Relative reinforcer rates and magnitudes do not control concurrent choice independently.  Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Bagshaw, C.S.,  Thorrold, B.,  Davison, M.,  Duncan, I.J.H.,  Matthews, L.R.  (2008).  The influence of season and of providing a water trough on stream use by beef cattle grazing hill-country in New Zealand, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 109, p155-166, doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2007.03.004

Vickers MH, Guan J, Gustavsson M, Krageloh C, Breier BH, Davison M, McJarrow P, Hodgkinson S. (2007). 'Effects of oral supplementation with ganglioside during the neonatal and early postnatal period on cognition and learning', For Uniservices on behalf of Fonterra Brands.

Vickers MH, Guan J, Gustavsson M, Krageloh C, Breier BH, Davison M, McJarrow P, Hodgkinson S.  Effects of oral supplementation with a complex milk lipid containing gangliosides during the neonatal and early postnatal period on cognition and learning in young normal rats.  Submitted to British Journal of Nutrition.

Landon, J., Davison, M., Krägeloh, C.U., Thompson, N.M., Miles, J.L., Vickers, M.H., Fraser, M., and Breier, B.H. (2007).  Global undernutrition during gestation influences learning during adult life.  Learning & Behavior, 35, 79-86.

Nevin, J.A., Davison, M., Odum, A.L., & Shahan, T.A. (2007)  A theory of attending, remembering, and reinforcement in delayed matching to sample.  Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 88, 285-317.

Davison, M., Krägeloh, C.U., Fraser, M., & Breier, B.H. (2007). Maternal nutrition and four-alternative choice. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 87, 51-62.

Davison, M. & Baum, W.M. (2007). Local effects of delayed food. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 87, 241-260.



More Publications



Updated: April 6, 2009