Humans’ ability to read dogs’ facial expressions is learned, not innate
The human ability to recognize the facial expressions of dogs is acquired through age and experience and is not an evolutionarily selected trait.... Read More...
animal psychology
Horses blink less and twitch eyelids more when stressed
Spontaneous blink rate decreases while eyelid twitches increase when a horse experiences a stressful situation.... Read More...
Cats, like children and dogs, develop attachments to their caregivers
Popular belief suggests cats are more independent and less likely to form close attachments with humans. However, a new study casts doubt on this myth. Researchers have found cats display the same main attachment styles to their owners as dogs, and babies to their parents. ... Read More...
Puppy love: Why puppy dog eyes evolved to benefit communication with humans
Domestication transformed the facial muscle anatomy of dogs specifically for facial communication with humans. The muscular movement around the eyebrows resembles expressions humans produce when upset, triggering a nurturing response from the dog's owners. ... Read More...
Hello, kitty: Cats recognize their own names
Domestic cats are able to discriminate the content of human speech, including recognizing their names, based upon phonemic differences.... Read More...
Social insecurity also stresses chimpanzees
Aggression levels are reduced in male chimpanzees when social relations within their group become unstable.... Read More...
Gorillas gather around and groom their dead
Researchers observe grooming and mourning behaviors by gorillas towards others in their social groups who recently died. The study sheds light on how animals perceive and process death.... Read More...
Good Dog? Bad Dog? Their Personalities Can Change
Just as with humans, a dog's personality is likely to change over time, a new study reports.... Read More...
Chimpanzees React Faster to Cooperate than Make Selfish Choices
According to researchers, chimpanzees make prosocial choices more rapidly than making choices that only benefit themselves.... Read More...
Asian Elephants Could Be the Math Kings of the Jungle
Researchers report Asian elephants appear to possess numerical abilities similar to humans. ... Read More...
Female Chimps Know Which Males Are More Likely to Kill Their Babies
A new study sheds light on infanticidal behavior in male chimps, and reveals females are highly sensitive to the relative risks posed to their offspring by different males.... Read More...
How Dogs Process Words
A new neuroimaging study reveals how dogs process words they have been taught to associate with objects. Findings suggest dogs have a rudimentary neural representation of meaning for words they have been taught.... Read More...