Rampe Brancaccio, 49, Naples (Italy)

We are studying the range of personality (i.e. boldness, curiosity and sociality) in Octopus vulgaris using data collected in both laboratory tests and from the field. Understanding the range of behavioral variation in this species has both theoretical and practical implications, as the study of octopus will inform our understanding of personality in animals and guide researchers in selecting the best individual animals for particular experiments. The research is funded by the Fyssen Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the study of cognition.