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ABSTRACT: The ontogeny of antipredator behaviour of paradise fish was examined using a simple testing method. The results showed that the ability to recognize eyespots appears in larvae between 15 and 20 days old. At the same time, two horizontally placed eyespots produced the most pronounced effect on the behaviour of the larvae. Testing different inbred strains revealed that the ontogeny of antipredator behaviour is also under broad genetic control, as the response to a model predator was strong in one strain but weak in another. The results suggest that the recognition of eyespots coincides with larvae becoming more conspicuous to predators by the appearance of pigmentation and increasing level of swimming activity (exploration).
Ethology 04/2010; 100(4):284 - 294. · 2.01 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In this review we argued that dogs can provide a good model for both the evolution of human social-cognitive abilities and studying the underlying neural and genetic structures of these behavioural features. The key difference between the present and other approaches for modelling human social evolution lies in the assumption that there is a large overlap between the human and dog behaviour complex because during their evolution in close contact with human groups dogs evolved functionally similar social skills. Thus the parallel investigation of the human and dog behaviour complex widens our possibility for understanding human social cognition because it allows the modelling of the interaction between various components in contrast to other models which are often restricted to modelling a single aspect of human social cognitive skills.
Neuroreport 04/2007; 18(5):467-71. · 1.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We present evidence that a dog (Philip, a 4-year-old tervueren) was able to use different human actions as samples against which to match his own behaviour. First, Philip was trained to repeat nine human-demonstrated actions on command ('Do it!'). When his performance was markedly over chance in response to demonstration by one person, testing with untrained action sequences and other demonstrators showed some ability to generalise his understanding of copying. In a second study, we presented Philip with a sequence of human actions, again using the 'Do as I do' paradigm. All demonstrated actions had basically the same structure: the owner picked up a bottle from one of six places; transferred it to one of the five other places and then commanded the dog ('Do it!'). We found that Philip duplicated the entire sequence of moving a specific object from one particular place to another more often than expected by chance. Although results point to significant limitations in his imitative abilities, it seems that the dog could have recognized the action sequence, on the basis of observation alone, in terms of the initial state, the means, and the goal. This suggests that dogs might acquire abilities by observation that enhance their success in complex socio-behavioural situations.
Animal Cognition 11/2006; 9(4):355-67. · 3.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In order to reveal early species-specific differences, we observed the behavior of dog puppies (n = 11) and wolf pups (n = 13) hand raised and intensively socialized in an identical way. The pups were studied in two object-preference tests at age 3, 4, and 5 weeks. After a short isolation, we observed the subjects' behavior in the presence of a pair of objects, one was always the subject's human foster parent (caregiver) and the other was varied; nursing bottle (3 weeks), unfamiliar adult dog (3 and 5 weeks), unfamiliar experimenter (4 and 5 weeks), and familiar conspecific age mate (4 weeks). Dogs and wolves did not differ in their general activity level during the tests. Wolf pups showed preference for the proximity of the caregiver in two of the tests; Bottle-Caregiver at the age of 3 weeks and Experimenter-Caregiver at the age of 5 weeks, while dogs showed preference to the caregiver in three tests; conspecific Pup-Caregiver and Experimenter-Caregiver at the age of 4 weeks and dog-caregiver at the age of 5. Compared to wolves, dogs tended to display more communicative signals that could potentially facilitate social interactions, such as distress vocalization, tail wagging, and gazing at the humans' face. In contrast to dog puppies, wolf pups showed aggressive behavior toward a familiar experimenter and also seemed to be more prone to avoidance. Our results demonstrate that already at this early age--despite unprecedented intensity of socialization and the comparable social (human) environment during early development--there are specific behavioral differences between wolves and dogs mostly with regard to their interactions with humans.
Developmental Psychobiology 10/2005; 47(2):111-22. · 2.98 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The authors investigated whether human listeners could categorize played-back dog (Canis familiaris) barks recorded in various situations and associate them with emotional ratings. Prerecorded barks of a Hungarian herding dog breed (Mudi) provided the sample. Human listeners were asked to rate emotionality of the vocalization and to categorize the situations on the basis of alternative situations provided on a questionnaire. The authors found almost no effect of previous experience with the given dog breed or of owning a dog. Listeners were able to categorize bark situations high above chance level. Emotionality ratings for particular bark samples correlated with peak and fundamental frequency and interbark intervals. The authors did not find a significant effect of tonality (harmonic-to-noise ratio) on either the emotionality rating or situation categorization of the human listeners. Humans' ability to recognize meaning suggests that barks could serve as an effective means of communication between dog and human.
Journal of Comparative Psychology 06/2005; 119(2):136-44. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Dogs' (Canis familiaris) and cats' (Felis catus) interspecific communicative behavior toward humans was investigated. In Experiment 1, the ability of dogs and cats to use human pointing gestures in an object-choice task was compared using 4 types of pointing cues differing in distance between the signaled object and the end of the fingertip and in visibility duration of the given signal. Using these gestures, both dogs and cats were able to find the hidden food; there was no significant difference in their performance. In Experiment 2, the hidden food was made inaccessible to the subjects to determine whether they could indicate the place of the hidden food to a naive owner. Cats lacked some components of attention-getting behavior compared with dogs. The results suggest that individual familiarization with pointing gestures ensures high-level performance in the presence of such gestures; however, species-specific differences could cause differences in signaling toward the human.
Journal of Comparative Psychology 06/2005; 119(2):179-86. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Pet dogs (Canis familiaris) learn to detour a V-shaped fence effectively from an unfamiliar human demonstrator. In this article, 4 main features of the demonstrator's behavior are highlighted: (a) the manipulation of the target, (b) the familiarity of the demonstrator, (c) the role of verbal attention-getting behavior, and (d) whether a strange trained dog could also be an effective demonstrator. The results show that the main factor of a successful human demonstration is the continuous verbal communication with the dog during detouring. It was also found that an unfamiliar dog demonstrator was as efficient as the unfamiliar experimenter. The experiments provide evidence that in adult dogs, communicative context with humans is needed for effective interspecific social learning to take place.
Journal of Comparative Psychology 01/2005; 118(4):375-83. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The ability of animals to use behavioral/facial cues in detection of human attention has been widely investigated. In this test series we studied the ability of dogs to recognize human attention in different experimental situations (ball-fetching game, fetching objects on command, begging from humans). The attentional state of the humans was varied along two variables: (1) facing versus not facing the dog; (2) visible versus non-visible eyes. In the first set of experiments (fetching) the owners were told to take up different body positions (facing or not facing the dog) and to either cover or not cover their eyes with a blindfold. In the second set of experiments (begging) dogs had to choose between two eating humans based on either the visibility of the eyes or direction of the face. Our results show that the efficiency of dogs to discriminate between "attentive" and "inattentive" humans depended on the context of the test, but they could rely on the orientation of the body, the orientation of the head and the visibility of the eyes. With the exception of the fetching-game situation, they brought the object to the front of the human (even if he/she turned his/her back towards the dog), and preferentially begged from the facing (or seeing) human. There were also indications that dogs were sensitive to the visibility of the eyes because they showed increased hesitative behavior when approaching a blindfolded owner, and they also preferred to beg from the person with visible eyes. We conclude that dogs are able to rely on the same set of human facial cues for detection of attention, which form the behavioral basis of understanding attention in humans. Showing the ability of recognizing human attention across different situations dogs proved to be more flexible than chimpanzees investigated in similar circumstances.
Animal Cognition 08/2004; 7(3):144-53. · 3.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Dogs' ability to recognise cues of human visual attention was studied in different experiments. Study 1 was designed to test the dogs' responsiveness to their owner's tape-recorded verbal commands (Down!) while the Instructor (who was the owner of the dog) was facing either the dog or a human partner or none of them, or was visually separated from the dog. Results show that dogs were more ready to follow the command if the Instructor attended them during instruction compared to situations when the Instructor faced the human partner or was out of sight of the dog. Importantly, however, dogs showed intermediate performance when the Instructor was orienting into 'empty space' during the re-played verbal commands. This suggests that dogs are able to differentiate the focus of human attention. In Study 2 the same dogs were offered the possibility to beg for food from two unfamiliar humans whose visual attention (i.e. facing the dog or turning away) was systematically varied. The dogs' preference for choosing the attentive person shows that dogs are capable of using visual cues of attention to evaluate the human actors' responsiveness to solicit food-sharing. The dogs' ability to understand the communicatory nature of the situations is discussed in terms of their social cognitive skills and unique evolutionary history.
Behavioural Processes 06/2004; 66(2):161-72. · 1.65 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The use of animal-like autonomous robots might offer new possibilities in the study of animal interactions, if the subject recognises it as a social partner. In this paper we investigate whether AIBO, a dog-like robot of the Sony Corp. can be used for this purpose. Twenty-four adult and sixteen 4-5 months old pet dogs were tested in two situations where subjects encountered one of four different test-partners: (1) a remote controlled car; (2) an AIBO robot; (3) AIBO with a puppy-scented furry cover; and (4) a 2-month-old puppy. In the neutral situation the dog could interact freely with one of the partners for 1 min in a closed arena in the presence of its owner. In the feeding situation the encounters were started while the dog was eating food. Our results show that age and context influence the social behaviour of dogs. Further, we have found that although both age groups differentiated the living and non-living test-partners for some extent, the furry AIBO evoked significantly increased responses in comparison to the car. These experiments show the first steps towards the application of robots in behavioural studies, notwithstanding that at present AIBO's limited ability to move constrains its effectiveness as social partner for dogs.
Behavioural Processes 04/2004; 65(3):231-9. · 1.65 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In an earlier study (P. Pongracz et al., 2001), it was shown that human demonstration significantly enhances the detouring ability of dogs (Canis familiaris) around a V-shaped fence. The authors investigated the effect of the direction of the demonstrated detour and the dogs' detouring experience. They found that dogs' trial-and-error experience influences strongly the direction of the dogs' detours later, even if the demonstrator showed detours along the opposite side of the fence. However, dogs' preferences based on their own experiences were changed when the dogs observed demonstrations only on 1 side of the fence. Dogs with no trial-and-error experience followed the direction of 1-sided demonstrations. The change from dogs' own directions to the demonstrated directions seems not to be due to simple facilitative effects of social experience; the similarity with the demonstrated action depends on complex interactions between individual experience and socially provided information.
Journal of Comparative Psychology 10/2003; 117(3):337-43. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Dogs were tested (1) in a two-way choice experiment, where the experimenter indicated a baited bowl by pointing; and (2) in a task where the owner was asked to command the dog to execute simple obedience tasks. In expt 1 dogs (n = 10) were tested at first in the presence of the experimenter (three dimensional condition, 3D), that was followed by a series of pointing trials when the life-sized image of the experimenter was projected onto the wall by the means of a video-projector (two dimensional condition, 2D). Dogs performed correctly more often than expected by chance in both 3D and 2D conditions. In expt 2 the commanding owner was either present in the room (3D), or her/his image was projected on the screen (2D), or only her/his voice was audible for the dog through a speaker (0D). The performance of the dogs (n = 10) decreased to great extent comparing the 3D and 0D condition, as the number of different actions the dogs obeyed was significantly less in the 0D condition. However, there was no difference in the number of different actions obeyed in the 3D and 2D conditions. Our results show that dogs readily obey life-sized, interactive moving image in various communicative situtations. We suppose that the difference between 2D and 3D conditions can be attributed partially to the lack of some additional communicative signals as sounds (verbal cues) and odours (from the human), and to some changes in the context.
Ethology 09/2003; 109(10):809 - 821. · 2.01 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Eighty-seven pet dogs (Canis familiaris) were involved in an experiment in which they had to solve a task to obtain a ball. After witnessing a full demonstration by their owner (10 times pushing the handle of the box, which released a ball), most dogs preferred to touch the handle sooner and more frequently in comparison with other parts of the box, and they used the handle to get the ball. In contrast, dogs in 3 control groups developed their own respective methods. The lack of emergence of the ball and playing after the demonstration did not affect the learning performance strongly. This suggests that in dogs the outcome of a demonstration plays only a restricted role in the manifestation of social learning.
Journal of Comparative Psychology 07/2003; 117(2):156-65. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The present investigations were undertaken to compare interspecific communicative abilities of dogs and wolves, which were socialized to humans at comparable levels. The first study demonstrated that socialized wolves were able to locate the place of hidden food indicated by the touching and, to some extent, pointing cues provided by the familiar human experimenter, but their performance remained inferior to that of dogs. In the second study, we have found that, after undergoing training to solve a simple manipulation task, dogs that are faced with an insoluble version of the same problem look/gaze at the human, while socialized wolves do not. Based on these observations, we suggest that the key difference between dog and wolf behavior is the dogs' ability to look at the human's face. Since looking behavior has an important function in initializing and maintaining communicative interaction in human communication systems, we suppose that by positive feedback processes (both evolutionary and ontogenetically) the readiness of dogs to look at the human face has lead to complex forms of dog-human communication that cannot be achieved in wolves even after extended socialization.
Current Biology 05/2003; 13(9):763-6. · 9.65 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Learning contributes to the development of mutual mimicry in group mates. The aim of our study was to investigate whether dogs would initiate walking a detour if they were repeatedly exposed to the detouring behaviour of their owner. Eight dog owners were asked to modify their usual way of approaching their home at the end of their daily walks, namely, to make a short detour before the entrance. Owners performed the detour at least 180 times, over a period of 3-6 months. During the first 30 detours (trials 1-30) all dogs followed the owner on the new route. Between trials 151 and 180, four dogs started to walk the detour before the owner displayed any intention to walk in that direction in 50-93% of the cases. Further observations that were carried out on one dog showed that the initialisation of the detours manifested sooner if a second familiar person started to walk the detours. Interestingly, the dog persisted in initialising detours long after the owners stopped detouring. We describe the observed phenomenon in the framework of social anticipation that manifests when an animal learns the proper sequence of an act performed by another animal, so that it can (1) predict the action in this sequence, and (2) as a result start either a similar or a complementary action as a response. These observations suggest that the dogs' social anticipation ability contributes to behavioural synchronisation and cooperative processes between dog and owner.
Animal Cognition 04/2003; 6(1):57-63. · 3.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In a series of 3 experiments, dogs (Canis familiaris) were presented with variations of the human pointing gesture: gestures with reversed direction of movement, cross-pointing, and different arm extensions. Dogs performed at above chance level if they could see the hand (and index finger) protruding from the human body contour. If these minimum requirements were not accessible, dogs still could rely on the body position of the signaler. The direction of movement of the pointing arm did not influence the performance. In summary, these observations suggest that dogs are able to rely on relatively novel gestural forms of the human communicative pointing gesture and that they are able to comprehend to some extent the referential nature of human pointing.
Journal of Comparative Psychology 04/2002; 116(1):27-34. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In a series of 3 experiments, dogs (
Canisfamiliaris) were presented with variations of the human pointing gesture; gestures with reversed direction of movement, cross-pointing, and different arm extensions. Dogs performed at above chance level if they could see the hand (and index finger) protruding from the human body contour. If these minimum requirements were not accessible, dogs still could rely on the body position of the signaler. The direction of movement of the pointing arm did not influence the performance. In summary, these observations suggest that dogs are able to rely on relatively novel gestural forms of the human communicative pointing gesture and that they are able to comprehend to some extent the referential nature of human pointing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Journal of Comparative Psychology 02/2002; 116(1):27-34. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study was aimed at the examination of ‘mental construction’ in paradise fish by interactive learning, which is suggested
as an alternative hypothesis for backward or second-order conditioning. Avoidance of goldfish was established in paradise
fish by presenting a harmless goldfish (a novel stimulus) after an aversive event (mild electric shocks) in the dark compartment
of a shuttle tank. It was found that this avoidance depended on context pre-exposure. Experiment 1 was designed to study the
effect of mild shocks on shuttling activity in a familiar context. Experiment 2 aimed at establishing fear-conditioning to
the goldfish in a higher-order conditioning paradigm. In the course of training, unpaired stimuli were presented in the dark
compartment of the shuttle tank in such a manner that the presentation of mild shocks (20 mA) preceded the encounter with
a harmless fish (goldfish). Experiment 3 demonstrated the role of context pre-exposure in interactive learning. Results indicate
that (1) while 60 mA shocks resulted in avoidance of the dark compartment, the 20 mA mild shocks affected exploratory behaviour;
(2) after pre-exposure to the training environment, paradise fish avoided the dark compartment containing goldfish provided
that subjects had previously encountered mild, explorative shocks there; (3) this conditioned fear, a ‘mental construction’
of a potential danger, was proved to be transferable to another context and was consequently aimed specifically at the goldfish,
a living being, rather than the training context; (4) the pre-exposure to the shuttle tank was an important part of this training
procedure, that is, only subjects habituated to the shuttle tank avoided the goldfish. Results are discussed in the framework
of the Interactive Learning Hypothesis, which has been developed as an ethological approach to a higher-order conditioning
paradigm.
Animal Cognition 11/1999; 2(4):197-206. · 3.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Previous experiments on Betta splendens have shown that energy expenditures related to aggression are under social control. The present paper examines the biochemical energetics of social cohabitation in groups of Macropodus opercularis. The species is closely related to Betta splendens, however, dominants use somewhat different behavioral tactics against intruders. In contrast to Bettas, submissive Macropoduses are not harassed by dominants, but are confined to the bottom of the tank. This results in a reduced rate of oxygen consumption in defeated animals (Anabantid fish mainly use atmospheric oxygen). The only metabolic change, compared to isolated controls, is a reduction in hepatic glycogen content. Submissive animals have shifted carbohydrate metabolism towards anaerobic glycolysis. Substantial reductions in muscle proteins, lipids, and glycogen occurred in submissive Betta splendens. Thus, the sharp difference in behavioral strategy results in a sharp difference in the energetic consequences of aggression. A theory is presented regarding the possible role of energetic constraints in the control of behavior. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Aggressive Behavior 12/1998; 22(6):437 - 446. · 2.63 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The effects of footshock and various light-spot models on the shuttling activity of mice were examined in a passive avoidance
situation. It was found that mild footshocks elicited initial exploration followed by an increased tendency to escape from
the compartment in which the shocks were administered. An encounter with models, consisting of various numbers of small yellow
lights, without footshock did not cause significant differences in shuttling activity. But if the models were paired with
footshock, a tendency to explore during the first trial, high readiness to escape, and avoidance learning were found. These
were characterized by a temporary increase in number of gate crossings, a decrease in the time spent in the shocked compartment,
and a considerable increase in latency to enter the shocked compartment. The most effective model had two horizontally arranged
yellow lights, which may share some characteristics with eye-like patterns.
Learning & Behavior 04/1994; 22(1):96-102. · 2.00 Impact Factor
