126 research outputs found
Why do dogs (Canis familiaris) select the empty container in an observational learning task?
Many argue that dogs show unique susceptibility to human communicative signals that make them suitable for being engaged in complex co-operation with humans. It has also been revealed that socially provided information is particularly effective in influencing the behaviour of dogs even when the humanâs action demonstration conveys inefficient or mistaken solution of task. It is unclear, however, how the communicative nature of the demonstration context and the presence of the human demonstrator affect the dogsâ object-choice behaviour in observational learning situations. In order to unfold the effects of these factors, 76 adult pet dogs could observe a communicative or a non-communicative demonstration in which the human retrieved a tennis ball from under an opaque container while manipulating another distant and obviously empty (transparent) one. Subjects were then allowed to choose either in the presence of the demonstrator or after she left the room. Results showed a significant main effect of the demonstration context (presence or absence of the humanâs communicative signals), and we also found some evidence for the response-modifying effect of the presence of the human demonstrator during the dogsâ choice. That is, dogs predominantly chose the baited container, but if the demonstration context was communicative and the human was present during the dogsâ choice, subjectsâ tendency to select the baited container has been reduced. In agreement with the studies showing sensitivity to humanâs communicative signals in dogs, these findings point to a special form of social influence in observational learning situations when it comes to learning about causally opaque and less efficient (compared to what comes natural to the dog) action demonstrations
Social Pre-treatment Modulates Attention Allocation to Transient and Stable Object Properties
Increasing evidence suggests that ostensive-communicative signals in social learning situations enable observers to focus their attention on the intrinsic features of an object (e.g., color) at the expense of ignoring transient object properties (e.g., location). Here we investigated whether off-line social cues, presented as social primes, have the same power to modulate attention allocation to stable and transient object properties as on-line ostensive-communicative cues. The first part of the experiment consisted of a pre-treatment phase, where adult male participants either received intensive social stimulation or were asked to perform non-social actions. Then, they participated in a change detection test, where they watched pairs of pictures depicting an array of five objects. On the second picture, a change occurred compared to the first picture. One object changed either its location (moving forward or backward) or was replaced by another object, and participants were required to indicate where the change had happened. We found that participants detected the change more successfully if it had happened in the location of the object; however, this difference was reduced following a socially intense pre-treatment phase. The results are discussed in relation to the claims of the natural pedagogy theory
What could assistance robots learn from assistance dogs?
These studies are part of our broader project that aims at
revealing relevant aspects of human-dog interactions, which could help
to develop and test robot social behaviour. We suggest that the cooperation
between assistance dogs and their disabled owners could serve as a model to
design successful assistance robotâhuman interactions.
In Study 1, we analysed the behaviour of 32 assistance dogâowner dyads
performing a fetch and carry task. In addition to important typical behaviours
(attracting attention, eye-contact, comprehending pointing gestures), we found
differences depending on how experienced the dyad was and whether the owner
used a wheel chair or not.
In Study 2 we investigated the reactions of a subsample of dogs to unforeseen
difficulties during a retrieving task. We revealed different types of
communicative and displacement behaviours, and importantly, dogs showed a
strong commitment to execute the insoluble task or at least their behaviours lent
a âbusyâ appearance to them, which can attenuate the ownersâ disappointment.
We suggest that assistant robots should communicate their inability to solve a
problem using simple behaviours (non-verbal vocalisation, orientation
alternation), and/or could show displacement behaviours rather than simply not
performing the task.
In sum, we propose that assistant dogsâ communicative behaviours and problem
solving strategies could inspire the development of the relevant functions and
social behaviours of assistance robots
Human Analogue Safe Haven Effect of the Owner : Behavioural and Heart Rate Response to Stressful Social Stimuli in Dogs
The secure base and safe haven effects of the attachment figure are central features of the human attachment theory. Recently, conclusive evidence for human analogue attachment behaviours in dogs has been provided, however, the ownerâs security-providing role in danger has not been directly supported. We investigated the relationship between the behavioural and cardiac response in dogs (N = 30) while being approached by a threatening stranger in separation vs. in the presence of the owner, presented in a balanced order. Non-invasive telemetric measures of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) data during the threatening approaches was compared to periods before and after the encounters. Dogs that showed distress vocalisation during separation (N = 18) and that growled or barked at the stranger during the threatening approach (N = 17) were defined as behaviourally reactive in the given situation. While characteristic stress vocalisations were emitted during separations, the absence of the owner did not have an effect on dogsâ mean HR, but significantly increased the HRV. The threatening approach increased dogsâ mean HR, with a parallel decrease in the HRV, particularly in dogs that were behaviourally reactive to the encounter. Importantly, the HR increase was significantly less pronounced when dogs faced the stranger in the presence of the owner. Moreover, the test order, whether the dog encountered the stranger first with or without its owner, also proved important: HR increase associated with the encounter in separation seemed to be attenuated in dogs that faced the stranger first in the presence of their owner. We provided evidence for human analogue safe haven effect of the owner in a potentially dangerous situation. Similarly to parents of infants, owners can provide a buffer against stress in dogs, which can even reduce the effect of a subsequent encounter with the same threatening stimuli later when the owner is not present
Reading faces: differential lateral gaze bias in processing canine and human facial expressions in dogs and 4-year-old children
Sensitivity to the emotions of others provides clear biological advantages. However, in the case of heterospecific relationships, such as that existing between dogs and humans, there are additional challenges since some elements of the expression of emotions are species-specific. Given that faces provide important visual cues for communicating emotional state in both humans and dogs, and that processing of emotions is subject to brain lateralisation, we investigated lateral gaze bias in adult dogs when presented with pictures of expressive human and dog faces. Our analysis revealed clear differences in laterality of eye movements in dogs towards conspecific faces according to the emotional valence of the expressions. Differences were also found towards human faces, but to a lesser extent. For comparative purpose, a similar experiment was also run with 4-year-old children and it was observed that they showed differential processing of facial expressions compared to dogs, suggesting a species-dependent engagement of the right or left hemisphere in processing emotions
Dogs (Canis familiaris), but Not Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Understand Imperative Pointing
Chimpanzees routinely follow the gaze of humans to outside targets. However, in most studies using object choice they fail to use communicative gestures (e.g. pointing) to find hidden food. Chimpanzees' failure to do this may be due to several difficulties with this paradigm. They may, for example, misinterpret the gesture as referring to the opaque cup instead of the hidden food. Or perhaps they do not understand informative communicative intentions. In contrast, dogs seem to be skilful in using human communicative cues in the context of finding food, but as of yet there is not much data showing whether they also use pointing in the context of finding non-food objects. Here we directly compare chimpanzees' (Nâ=â20) and dogs' (Nâ=â32) skills in using a communicative gesture directed at a visible object out of reach of the human but within reach of the subject. Pairs of objects were placed in view of and behind the subjects. The task was to retrieve the object the experimenter wanted. To indicate which one she desired, the experimenter pointed imperatively to it and directly rewarded the subject for handing over the correct one. While dogs performed well on this task, chimpanzees failed to identify the referent. Implications for great apes' and dogs' understanding of human communicative intentions are discussed
Left gaze bias in humans, rhesus monkeys and domestic dogs
While viewing faces, human adults often demonstrate a natural gaze bias towards the left visual field, that is, the right side of the vieweeâs face is often inspected first and for longer periods. Using a preferential looking paradigm, we demonstrate that this bias is neither uniquely human nor limited to primates, and provide evidence to help elucidate its biological function within a broader social cognitive framework. We observed that 6-month-old infants showed a wider tendency for left gaze preference towards objects and faces of different species and orientation, while in adults the bias appears only towards upright human faces. Rhesus monkeys showed a left gaze bias towards upright human and monkey faces, but not towards inverted faces. Domestic dogs, however, only demonstrated a left gaze bias towards human faces, but not towards monkey or dog faces, nor to inanimate object images. Our findings suggest that face- and species-sensitive gaze asymmetry is more widespread in the animal kingdom than previously recognised, is not constrained by attentional or scanning bias, and could be shaped by experience to develop adaptive behavioural significance
Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms are associated with human directed social behavior in dogs (Canis familiaris)
The oxytocin system has a crucial role in human sociality;
several results prove that polymorphisms of the oxytocin
receptor gene are related to complex social behaviors in humans.
Dogs' parallel evolution with humans and their adaptation to the
human environment has made them a useful species to model human
social interactions. Previous research indicates that dogs are
eligible models for behavioral genetic research, as well. Based
on these previous findings, our research investigated
associations between human directed social behaviors and two
newly described (â212AG, 19131AG) and one known (rs8679684)
single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the regulatory regions
(5Ⲡand 3ⲠUTR) of the oxytocin receptor gene in German Shepherd
(N = 104) and Border Collie (N = 103) dogs. Dogs' behavior
traits have been estimated in a newly developed test series
consisting of five episodes: Greeting by a stranger, Separation
from the owner, Problem solving, Threatening approach, Hiding of
the owner. Buccal samples were collected and DNA was isolated
using standard protocols. SNPs in the 3Ⲡand 5ⲠUTR regions were
analyzed by polymerase chain reaction based techniques followed
by subsequent electrophoresis analysis. The geneâbehavior
association analysis suggests that oxytocin receptor gene
polymorphisms have an impact in both breeds on (i) proximity
seeking towards an unfamiliar person, as well as their owner,
and on (ii) how friendly dogs behave towards strangers, although
the mediating molecular regulatory mechanisms are yet unknown.
Based on these results, we conclude that similarly to humans,
the social behavior of dogs towards humans is influenced by the
oxytocin system
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