Evan L. Zucker

I did my undergraduate work at the University of Maryland (College Park), earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (with honors) in December 1974.  I earned a Master’s of Arts degree in Experimental Psychology from Emory University in 1980, and completed my doctorate (Ph.D.) in Biopsychology in 1983, also from Emory University, with my doctoral research conducted at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC, now known as the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.  Prior to coming to Loyola in the fall of 1984, I spent two years as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL.

My research focus, over the years, has been on the social interactions and life histories of adult nonhuman primates, asking questions that address both proximate and ultimate explanations of behavior.  Species studied have included orangutans, gorillas, howling monkeys, numerous species of Old World monkeys (diana, patas, green, rhesus, pigtailed, and crab-eating monkeys, olive baboons, and red-capped mangabeys), and occasionally humans; work on nonhuman species has been done in research laboratories, primate centers, zoos, and the field.  Recent work addresses how (a) matrilineal rank is related to reproductive and life history variables in rhesus monkeys and (b) the general health of wild black howling monkeys in southeastern Mexico might be related to social and ecological variables. I use the acronym SHEEP to describe my interests – Social, Health, Environmental, and Evolutionary Psychology. To date, I have edited two books, published approximately 50 articles and book chapters, and presented over 130 oral papers and posters at professional conferences.  I have served on the editorial boards of two journals (American Journal of Primatology and Zoo Biology), and still actively review for these and other journals, including the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, which features research done by undergraduate students.

I regularly teach Behavioral Neuroscience (and lab), Health Psychology, Environmental Psychology, and Psychopharmacology, in addition to overseeing the Senior Research and Senior Thesis courses.  Upon occasion, I also teach the Statistics and Methods and the Introduction to Research courses. 

The Senior Research and Senior Thesis program provides the opportunity for juniors and seniors to develop their own studies, working under the guidance and supervision of a faculty member, which allows us to combine our teaching and research interests.  I regularly supervise the work of Senior Research/Thesis students, whose interests span many areas of psychology – so when it comes to student-initiated research, most anything (and nearly everything) is of interest to me!