In humans, facial expressions are rich sources of social information and have an important role i... more In humans, facial expressions are rich sources of social information and have an important role in regulating social interactions. However, the extent to which this is true in non-human animals, and particularly in non-primates, remains largely unknown. Therefore we tested whether domestic horses (Equus caballus) could discriminate between facial expressions of their conspecifics captured in different contexts, and whether viewing these expressions elicited functionally relevant reactions. Horses were more likely to approach photographic stimuli displaying facial expressions associated with positive attention and relaxation, and to avoid stimuli displaying an expression associated with aggression. Moreover, differing patterns of heart rate changes were observed in response to viewing the positive anticipation and agonistic facial expressions. These results indicate that horses spontaneously discriminate between photographs of unknown conspecifics portraying different facial expressi...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Raw data for article appearing in the journal Animal Cognition. Tables show subjects' respons... more Raw data for article appearing in the journal Animal Cognition. Tables show subjects' responses to human postures (sheet one for choice data, sheet two for latency data).<br><b>Abstract from article</b>Signals of dominance and submissiveness are central to conspecific communication in many species. For domestic animals, sensitivities to these signals in humans may also be beneficial. We presented domestic horses with a free choice between two unfamiliar humans, one adopting a submissive and the other a dominant body posture, with vocal and facial cues absent. Horses had previously been given food rewards by both human demonstrators, adopting neutral postures, to encourage approach behaviour. Across four counterbalanced test trials, horses showed a significant preference for approaching the submissive posture in both the first trial and across subsequent trials, and no individual subject showed an overall preference for dominant postures. There was no significan...
Terrestrial mammals use vocal communication to mediate crucial interactions such as sexual compet... more Terrestrial mammals use vocal communication to mediate crucial interactions such as sexual competition, territorial maintenance, social recognition, and coordination of defense against predators. Recent research supported by theoretical and technological advances has greatly enhanced our understandings of mammal vocal communication. In particular, the application of source-filter theory (originally developed as a framework for interpreting human speech sounds) to the analysis of digitized nonhuman mammal vocalizations has revealed important complexity in these signals that relates to their information content. Here we outline how this complexity can code information that is vital in social and sexual behavior.
K (2006) The function of female copulation calls in the genus Macaca: insights from the Barbary m... more K (2006) The function of female copulation calls in the genus Macaca: insights from the Barbary macaque. Pages 81-93 in The Barbary macaque: comparative and evolutionary perspectives (J.K. Hodges and J. Cortes, eds). Nottingham: Nottingham University Press.
Playback and Studies of Animal Communication, 1992
Playback is an experimental technique commonly used to investigate the significance of signals in... more Playback is an experimental technique commonly used to investigate the significance of signals in animal communication systems. It involves replaying recordings of naturally occurring or synthesised signals to animals and noting their response. Playback has made a major contribution to our understanding of animal communication, but like any other technique, it has its limitations and constraints.
terms of its behavioural effects as well as its financial benefits. It is hoped that other conser... more terms of its behavioural effects as well as its financial benefits. It is hoped that other conservation areas will follow this example.
Vocalizing allows rapid transmission of detailed information beyond line of sight. However, the r... more Vocalizing allows rapid transmission of detailed information beyond line of sight. However, the risk of eavesdropping by unintended receivers means there is also a potential cost to any vocalization. For fugitive species such as African wild dogs the potential cost of attracting dangerous competitors as eavesdroppers is especially significant. Experiments presented here demonstrate that eavesdropping lions Panthera leo were highly motivated to approach playbacks of wild dog Lycaon pictus vocalizations. As lions will kill any wild dogs they can catch, wild dogs risk paying high costs should their calls be detected. Lions were less likely to approach playbacks of spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta whoops, with responses split according to gender: male lions remained quick to approach hyena whoops, but females without accompanying males typically did not approach. Although hyenas seemed at least as capable as lions of detecting playbacks of wild dog calls, they were significantly less likely to subsequently approach them. Analogous to female lions faced with hyenas, the reluctance of hyenas to approach wild dogs may well derive from an assessment of the potential risks involved. We consider the hypothesis that wild dog twitters display counter-adaptations against eavesdropping, but suggest that this species may best limit the risk of detection by avoiding areas where they are most likely to be overheard by lions.
Anatomical constraints generate honesty: Acoustic cues to age and weight in the roars of red deer... more Anatomical constraints generate honesty: Acoustic cues to age and weight in the roars of red deer stags
The process of domestication is likely to have led to the development of adaptive interspecific s... more The process of domestication is likely to have led to the development of adaptive interspecific social abilities in animals. Such abilities are particularly interesting in less gregarious animals, such as cats. One notable social behaviour that cats exhibit in relation to humans is the slow blink sequence, which our previous research suggests can function as a form of positive communication between cats and humans. This behaviour involves the production of successive half blinks followed by either a prolonged narrowing of the eye or an eye closure. The present study investigates how cat (n = 18) slow blink sequences might affect human preferences during the adoption of shelter cats. Our study specifically tested (1) whether cats’ propensity to respond to human-initiated slow blinking was associated with their speed of rehoming from a shelter environment, and (2) whether cats’ anxiety around humans was related to their tendency to slow blink. Our experiments demonstrated that cats th...
In humans, facial expressions are rich sources of social information and have an important role i... more In humans, facial expressions are rich sources of social information and have an important role in regulating social interactions. However, the extent to which this is true in non-human animals, and particularly in non-primates, remains largely unknown. Therefore we tested whether domestic horses (Equus caballus) could discriminate between facial expressions of their conspecifics captured in different contexts, and whether viewing these expressions elicited functionally relevant reactions. Horses were more likely to approach photographic stimuli displaying facial expressions associated with positive attention and relaxation, and to avoid stimuli displaying an expression associated with aggression. Moreover, differing patterns of heart rate changes were observed in response to viewing the positive anticipation and agonistic facial expressions. These results indicate that horses spontaneously discriminate between photographs of unknown conspecifics portraying different facial expressi...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Raw data for article appearing in the journal Animal Cognition. Tables show subjects' respons... more Raw data for article appearing in the journal Animal Cognition. Tables show subjects' responses to human postures (sheet one for choice data, sheet two for latency data).<br><b>Abstract from article</b>Signals of dominance and submissiveness are central to conspecific communication in many species. For domestic animals, sensitivities to these signals in humans may also be beneficial. We presented domestic horses with a free choice between two unfamiliar humans, one adopting a submissive and the other a dominant body posture, with vocal and facial cues absent. Horses had previously been given food rewards by both human demonstrators, adopting neutral postures, to encourage approach behaviour. Across four counterbalanced test trials, horses showed a significant preference for approaching the submissive posture in both the first trial and across subsequent trials, and no individual subject showed an overall preference for dominant postures. There was no significan...
Terrestrial mammals use vocal communication to mediate crucial interactions such as sexual compet... more Terrestrial mammals use vocal communication to mediate crucial interactions such as sexual competition, territorial maintenance, social recognition, and coordination of defense against predators. Recent research supported by theoretical and technological advances has greatly enhanced our understandings of mammal vocal communication. In particular, the application of source-filter theory (originally developed as a framework for interpreting human speech sounds) to the analysis of digitized nonhuman mammal vocalizations has revealed important complexity in these signals that relates to their information content. Here we outline how this complexity can code information that is vital in social and sexual behavior.
K (2006) The function of female copulation calls in the genus Macaca: insights from the Barbary m... more K (2006) The function of female copulation calls in the genus Macaca: insights from the Barbary macaque. Pages 81-93 in The Barbary macaque: comparative and evolutionary perspectives (J.K. Hodges and J. Cortes, eds). Nottingham: Nottingham University Press.
Playback and Studies of Animal Communication, 1992
Playback is an experimental technique commonly used to investigate the significance of signals in... more Playback is an experimental technique commonly used to investigate the significance of signals in animal communication systems. It involves replaying recordings of naturally occurring or synthesised signals to animals and noting their response. Playback has made a major contribution to our understanding of animal communication, but like any other technique, it has its limitations and constraints.
terms of its behavioural effects as well as its financial benefits. It is hoped that other conser... more terms of its behavioural effects as well as its financial benefits. It is hoped that other conservation areas will follow this example.
Vocalizing allows rapid transmission of detailed information beyond line of sight. However, the r... more Vocalizing allows rapid transmission of detailed information beyond line of sight. However, the risk of eavesdropping by unintended receivers means there is also a potential cost to any vocalization. For fugitive species such as African wild dogs the potential cost of attracting dangerous competitors as eavesdroppers is especially significant. Experiments presented here demonstrate that eavesdropping lions Panthera leo were highly motivated to approach playbacks of wild dog Lycaon pictus vocalizations. As lions will kill any wild dogs they can catch, wild dogs risk paying high costs should their calls be detected. Lions were less likely to approach playbacks of spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta whoops, with responses split according to gender: male lions remained quick to approach hyena whoops, but females without accompanying males typically did not approach. Although hyenas seemed at least as capable as lions of detecting playbacks of wild dog calls, they were significantly less likely to subsequently approach them. Analogous to female lions faced with hyenas, the reluctance of hyenas to approach wild dogs may well derive from an assessment of the potential risks involved. We consider the hypothesis that wild dog twitters display counter-adaptations against eavesdropping, but suggest that this species may best limit the risk of detection by avoiding areas where they are most likely to be overheard by lions.
Anatomical constraints generate honesty: Acoustic cues to age and weight in the roars of red deer... more Anatomical constraints generate honesty: Acoustic cues to age and weight in the roars of red deer stags
The process of domestication is likely to have led to the development of adaptive interspecific s... more The process of domestication is likely to have led to the development of adaptive interspecific social abilities in animals. Such abilities are particularly interesting in less gregarious animals, such as cats. One notable social behaviour that cats exhibit in relation to humans is the slow blink sequence, which our previous research suggests can function as a form of positive communication between cats and humans. This behaviour involves the production of successive half blinks followed by either a prolonged narrowing of the eye or an eye closure. The present study investigates how cat (n = 18) slow blink sequences might affect human preferences during the adoption of shelter cats. Our study specifically tested (1) whether cats’ propensity to respond to human-initiated slow blinking was associated with their speed of rehoming from a shelter environment, and (2) whether cats’ anxiety around humans was related to their tendency to slow blink. Our experiments demonstrated that cats th...
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