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

Aggressive behaviours in higher vertebrates, particularly in the domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)

Unlike rhythmic activities such as feeding and reproduction, aggressive behaviour is triggered mainly by external stimuli and relational factors. The function of aggressive behaviour is to increase or maintain a certain distance between individuals, whether they belong to the same species or not. However, in social species forming permanent cohesive groups, aggressive behaviour may jeopardise this cohesion. Various regulatory mechanisms appeared during evolution: on the one hand, a gradation of the intensity of aggressive expression based on the animal’s motivation and on the protagonist’s response, and on the other hand, the development of submissive behaviour which, unlike avoidance and flight, provides an adapted response to aggression while staying close by. Both mechanisms reduce the negative effects of aggression on the group’s cohesion. In carnivores such as Canis familiaris, a distinction should be made between aggression and predation, as they have opposite functions, i.e. maintaining distance or capturing, respectively. This distinction is corroborated by other parameters, such as the nature of the signals displayed, the presence or absence of an appetitive phase, and the cerebral structures involved. Given the unique interspecies relationship existing between man and dog, canine aggressive behaviour must be controlled with greater care than if it was directed solely at fellow members of the same species. To limit the expression and adverse effects of aggressive behaviour, the dog’s individual emotional characteristics and some selected genetic traits must be taken into account.À la différence de comportements cycliques comme les comportements alimentaire et reproducteur, les comportements d'agression sont essentiellement de nature réactionnelle et relationnelle. Ils ont pour fonction la mise à distance ou le maintien d'une distance entre des individus appartenant ou non à la même espèce. Ils se manifestent par des signaux de communication permettant de moduler l'expression de la motivation agressive en fonction de la réponse du protagoniste. Chez les espèces sociales qui forment des groupes permanents et cohérents, les comportements d'agression sont susceptibles de mettre en danger cette cohésion. Différents mécanismes régulateurs se sont installés au cours de l'évolution. Il s'agit d'une part, d'une gradation des manifestations agressives, permettant de moduler leur intensité en fonction de la motivation de l'individu et de la réponse du partenaire, et d'autre part, de la mise en place de comportements de soumission qui, contrairement aux comportements d'évitement et de fuite, permettent de répondre de manière adaptée aux comportements agressifs d'un congénère, tout en se maintenant à proximité. Ces deux mécanismes permettent de réduire les effets négatifs de l'agression sur la cohésion des groupes. Chez les carnivores comme le chien, Canis familiaris, il faut distinguer l'agression et la prédation, ces deux comportements ayant une fonction opposée: mise à distance d'une part et capture d'autre part. D'autres arguments en relation avec les signaux émis, la présence ou l'absence d'une phase appétitive, et avec les structures cérébrales impliquées, viennent conforter la nécessité de cette distinction. Dans le contexte de la relation interspécifique homme-chien, fait exceptionnel dans le règne animal, les comportements d'agression du chien doivent être encore plus étroitement canalisés que dans un contexte social intraspécifique. La prise en compte des caractéristiques émotionnelles individuelles du chien et de certains traits héritables au cours de la sélection des races devrait permettre d'en limiter l'expression et les effets délétères

Etude des budgets-temps d’un groupe de Macaques de java (Macaca fascicularis) : mise en évidence d’une synchronisation des activités

The time-budget of a captive group of crab-eating monkeys ( Macaca fascicularis) has been established for every age- and sex-category. Several activities can be considered as characte ristic of certain categories. A number of activities occurred at the same time in different age- and sex-categories, while others, such as rest and locomotion, took place simultaneously in the whole group . Simultaneous grooming was most often observed among juveniles of both sexes and adult females. The time-budget of the captive crab-eating monkeys did not differ greatly from that of free-living groups of other species. This might suggest that the roles of the various age- and sex- cate gories are much more influenced by social parameters than by environmental ones. The “structure of attention” as defined by Chance (1967) might be one of the factors involved in the diffe rentiation of the social roles and in the synchronization of activities

Ethology, from naturalist anecdotes to the quantitative and experimental analysis of behaviour

Ethology has its roots in the observations of naturalists from Aristotle to the 19th century. It is also anchored in the studies of 19th century comparative psychologists, especially those defending the experimental method. Ethology refutes an approach solely based on a stimulus-response (S-R) link obtained in a laboratory by an experimenter. The founders of ethology focus on the phylogenetically inherited aspect of behaviours and their trigger mechanisms. Based on his study of the functional aspect of behaviours through observations and experiments in natural environments, Tinbergen defines ethology as the « biology of behaviour », a scientific, quantitative and analytical discipline. Since its creation, ethology has invested new research fields through interactions with other scientific domains. Current studies focus on a wide variety of animal species, and raise a large number of questions, especially in the area of cognition.L'éthologie trouve son origine dans les observations des naturalistes de l'antiquité jusqu'au 19e siècle. Elle s'ancre aussi dans les travaux des psychologues comparatistes du 19e siècle, notamment ceux qui prônent la méthode expérimentale. L'éthologie s'oppose à une approche reposant uniquement sur un lien stimulus-réponse, établi au laboratoire par un expérimentateur. Ses fondateurs mettent l'accent sur l'aspect phylogénétiquement hérité des comportements et de leurs mécanismes de déclenchement. Tinbergen, en étudiant l'aspect fonctionnel des comportements à partir d'observations et d'expérimentations en milieu naturel, définit l'éthologie comme la « biologie du comportement », discipline scientifique, quantitative et analytique. Depuis sa fondation, l'éthologie a investi de nouveaux champs d'investigation dans un dialogue avec d'autres disciplines scientifiques. La recherche actuelle en éthologie porte sur une grande diversité d'espèces animales et amène à une variété de questions, notamment dans le domaine de la cognition

Ethology contributes to the study of behavioural disorders

Ethology, the «biology of behaviour», is a fundamental scientific field. It analyses the interaction between an animal, including man, and its environment. Ethology is closely related to other scientific disciplines, such as physiology, endocrinology, neurobiology, and cognitive sciences. The teaching of ethology is based on peer-reviewed papers published in specialist scientific journals, such as Animal Behaviour, Journal of Comparative Psychology, Journal of Ethology, Applied Animal Behaviour Science and Animal Welfare. Ethology is used as a basis for the study of behavioural disorders in domestic animals. Clinical observations must, in return, contribute to opening new areas of research, more specifically focused on the way of life of pets and its dysfunctions.L'éthologie, la « biologie du comportement », est une discipline scientifique fondamentale. Elle analyse l'interaction entre un animal, y compris l'homme, et le milieu dans lequel il est placé. Cette discipline est étroitement liée à d'autres disciplines scientifiques comme la physiologie, l'endocrinologie, la neurobiologie, les sciences cognitives. L'enseignement de l'éthologie s'appuie sur les travaux scientifiques publiés dans les revues internationales spécialisées telles que Animal Behaviour, Journal of Comparative Psychology, Ethology ou Applied Animal Behaviour Science et Animal Welfare.... L'éthologie sert de fondement à l'approche des troubles du comportement des animaux domestiques. Les observations cliniques doivent, en retour, contribuer à ouvrir de nouvelles voies de recherches centrées plus spécifiquement sur le mode de vie des animaux de compagnie et ses dysfonctionnements

Better safe than sorry: ho to strengthen the Human-Dog relationship?

Even though dogs share our environment for more than 15000 years, their bites remain frequent and might be serious. Our aim is to give some cues, in accordance with recent scientific data, to prevent dogs’ aggressions. Detecting signs of fear, stress, and aggression emitted by a dog during interactions with humans is particularly important so that humans can adjust their behaviour to prevent a more serious aggression. Taking into account the dog’s temperament (e.g. boldness and aggressiveness) during interactions is also necessary. In order to explain the human-dog relationship, the dominance- subordination concept; taking into account conflicts and their resolution; has to be abandoned. On the contrary, the leadership theory and the theory referring to the balance of interactions (positive, neutral or negative), which promote positive interactions, should now be developed. In addition, ensuring behavioural needs, in order to provide the behavioural needs of a companion dog permits to decrease frustrations and consequently enhances a relationship of a better quality.Même si le chien partage l’environnement de l’homme depuis au moins 15000 ans, ses morsures n’en restent pas moins fréquentes et parfois graves. Notre objectif est de fournir quelques réflexions, en cohérence avec les dernières données scientifiques publiées, afin de prévenir ces morsures. Connaître et détecter les signaux de peur, de stress et d’agression qu’un chien peut émettre au cours des interactions avec l’humain est particulièrement important afin que ce dernier puisse ajuster son comportement et éviter une escalade de l’agression. Prendre en compte le tempérament (témérité, agressivité notamment) de l’individu avec lequel on interagit est également nécessaire. Afin d’expliquer la relation homme-chien, le concept de dominance-subordination, se focalisant sur les interactions négatives semble devoir être abandonné. En revanche, les théories du leadership ou de la balance des interactions (positives, neutres et négatives) permettant de favoriser les interactions positives afin d’éviter les conflits et donc de réduire les agressions, doivent être développées. Enfin, respecter les besoins comportementaux, afin d’assurer le bien-être comportemental du chien au sein du foyer, permet de réduire ses frustrations et favorise une relation de meilleure qualité

Antigenic differences among porcine circovirus type 2 strains, as demonstrated by the use of monoclonal antibodies

Journal of General Virology 2008, Vol. 89:pp 177–187This study examined whether antigenic differences among porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) strains could be detected using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). A subtractive immunization protocol was used for the genotype 2 post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)-associated PCV-2 strain Stoon-1010. Sixteen stable hybridomas that produced mAbs with an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA) titre of 1000 or more to Stoon-1010 were obtained. Staining of recombinant PCV-2 virus-like particles demonstrated that all mAbs were directed against the PCV-2 capsid protein. Cross-reactivity of mAbs was tested by IPMA and neutralization assay for genotype 1 strains 48285, 1206, VC2002 and 1147, and genotype 2 strains 1121 and 1103. Eleven mAbs (9C3, 16G12, 21C12, 38C1, 43E10, 55B1, 63H3, 70A7, 94H8, 103H7 and 114C8) recognized all strains in the IPMA and demonstrated neutralization of Stoon-1010, 48285, 1206 and 1103, but not VC2002, 1147 and 1121. mAbs 31D5, 48B5, 59C6 and 108E8 did not react with genotype 1 strains or had a reduced affinity compared with genotype 2 strains in the IPMA and neutralization assay. mAb 13H4 reacted in the IPMA with PMWS-associated strains Stoon-1010, 48285, 1206 and VC2002, and the porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome-associated strain 1147, but not with reproductive failure-associated strains 1121 and 1103. mAb 13H4 did not neutralize any of the tested strains. It was concluded that, despite the high amino acid identity of the capsid protein (¢91 %), antigenic differences at the capsid protein level are present among PCV-2 strains with a different genetic and clinical background

Assessment of female reproductive status by male longtailed macaques, Macaca fascicularis, under natural conditions

Recent theories on primate sexual selection have paid increasing attention to the importance of reproductive strategies of females living in multimale groups. However, the extent to which females are able effectively to conceal or advertise the time of ovulation as part of these strategies remains unclear. Few studies have investigated the ability of males to discern female reproductive status under natural conditions, and none has taken into account differences in male rank, and thus ability to gain access to females or cues. We tested male assessment of a female's fertile phase under natural conditions in longtailed macaques. We used timing of mate guarding by dominant males and the response of subordinate males towards the repeated playback of a female copulation call to measure male interest in females throughout the ovarian cycle. Relating the degree of male interest to female reproductive status, as determined noninvasively by faecal hormone analysis, we found that interest in females shown by both dominant and subordinate males was strongest during and around the fertile phase. Our results also indicate that males were better able to recognize the fertile period in conception than in nonconception cycles. Furthermore, our finding of a strong positive relation between male interest and female oestrogen levels in all cycles indicates that at least some of the cues used by males to assess female reproductive status are oestrogen related

In Bonobos Yawn Contagion Is Higher among Kin and Friends

In humans, the distribution of yawn contagion is shaped by social closeness with strongly bonded pairs showing higher levels of contagion than weakly bonded pairs. This ethological finding led the authors to hypothesize that the phenomenon of yawn contagion may be the result of certain empathic abilities, although in their most basal form. Here, for the first time, we show the capacity of bonobos (Pan paniscus) to respond to yawns of conspecifics. Bonobos spontaneously yawned more frequently during resting/relaxing compared to social tension periods. The results show that yawn contagion was context independent suggesting that the probability of yawning after observing others\u27 yawns is not affected by the propensity to engage in spontaneous yawns. As it occurs in humans, in bonobos the yawing response mostly occurred within the first minute after the perception of the stimulus. Finally, via a Linear Mixed Model we tested the effect of different variables (e.g., sex, rank, relationship quality) on yawn contagion, which increased when subjects were strongly bonded and when the triggering subject was a female. The importance of social bonding in shaping yawn contagion in bonobos, as it occurs in humans, is consistent with the hypothesis that empathy may play a role in the modulation of this phenomenon in both species. The higher frequency of yawn contagion in presence of a female as a triggering subject supports the hypothesis that adult females not only represent the relational and decisional nucleus of the bonobo society, but also that they play a key role in affecting the emotional states of others

Familiarity bias and physiological responses in contagious yawning by dogs support link to empathy

In humans, the susceptibility to yawn contagion has been theoretically and empirically related to our capacity for empathy. Because of its relevance to evolutionary biology, this phenomenon has been the focus of recent investigations in nonhuman species. In line with the empathic hypothesis, contagious yawning has been shown to correlate with the level of social attachment in several primate species. Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) have also shown the ability to yawn contagiously. To date, however, the social modulation of dog contagious yawning has received contradictory support and alternative explanations (i.e., yawn as a mild distress response) could explain positive evidence. The present study aims to replicate contagious yawning in dogs and to discriminate between the two possible mediating mechanisms (i.e., empathic vs. distress related response). Twenty-five dogs observed familiar (dog’s owner) and unfamiliar human models (experimenter) acting out a yawn or control mouth movements. Concurrent physiological measures (heart rate) were additionally monitored for twenty-one of the subjects. The occurrence of yawn contagion was significantly higher during the yawning condition than during the control mouth movements. Furthermore, the dogs yawned more frequently when watching the familiar model than the unfamiliar one demonstrating that the contagiousness of yawning in dogs correlated with the level of emotional proximity. Moreover, subjects’ heart rate did not differ among conditions suggesting that the phenomenon of contagious yawning in dogs is unrelated to stressful events. Our findings are consistent with the view that contagious yawning is modulated by affective components of the behavior and may indicate that rudimentary forms of empathy could be present in domesticated dogs