PhD in Comparative Human Development in Chicago United States | University of Chicago

This program examines behavioral mechanisms across social, psychological, and biological organizational levels in both human and animal subjects. Current studies focus on three primary domains. In behavioral and reproductive endocrinology, research with rodents and humans explores how social factors and behaviors influence fertility, reproduction, and lifelong hormone-behavior interactions. Key subjects include estrous/menstrual cycle synchronization mechanisms, adaptive sex ratio adjustments, pheromone signaling, reproductive aging, mind-body connections in women's health, and behavior's impact on immune responses. The comparative development domain employs primate and rodent models to study social, emotional, and hormonal dimensions of mother-offspring bonding and infant growth, with special attention to individual differences within typical and atypical ranges. Additional focuses include social bonding, aggression, mating systems, nonverbal cues, and social understanding across species. The social neuroscience component investigates evaluative mechanisms - the emotional and cognitive processes enabling individuals to assess environmental threats versus safety. Another emphasis examines how social and physiological factors shape hormonal and immune responses to stress, affecting disease susceptibility. The program consistently combines social and biological perspectives in its investigative framework.