SE Valley Times

Life with a dog involves navigating communication challenges due to the absence of a shared language. A new study from Arizona State University (ASU) suggests that many people may not fully understand their pets' emotions and can misinterpret them. The research, conducted by Holly Molinaro and Clive Wynne, highlights the tendency for humans to project their feelings onto dogs, which can lead to misunderstandings.

The study is detailed in the paper "Barking up the wrong tree: Human perception of dog emotions is influenced by extraneous factors." It explores how humans often misjudge dogs' emotional states based on context rather than observing the dogs themselves. According to Molinaro, an ASU PhD student in psychology and animal welfare scientist, “People do not look at what the dog is doing; instead, they look at the situation surrounding the dog and base their emotional perception off of that.”

Wynne, an ASU psychology professor specializing in dog behavior and human-dog bonds, adds that “Our dogs are trying to communicate with us, but we humans seem determined to look at everything except the poor pooch himself.”

In two experiments conducted by Molinaro and Wynne, participants watched videos of dogs in various situations perceived as positive or negative. In one experiment, participants viewed these videos with different visual backgrounds. In another experiment, videos were edited to change the apparent context while keeping the dog's behavior constant.

The results showed that people's perceptions were heavily influenced by context rather than actual canine behavior. “You see a dog getting a treat, you assume he must be feeling good. You see a dog getting yelled at, you assume he’s feeling bad," explained Molinaro.

Molinaro further elaborated on how human projection affects understanding canine emotions: “I have always found this idea that dogs and humans must have the same emotions to be very biased... I wanted to see if there are factors that might actually be affecting our perception of dog emotions.” She emphasized that cultural and situational contexts play roles similar to those in human emotion perception.

For pet owners seeking better understanding of their pets’ true emotional states, Molinaro advises acknowledging inherent biases: “The first step is just to be aware that we are not that good at reading dogs’ emotions.” By focusing on individual cues specific to each dog's personality rather than external contexts or preconceived notions about guilt or happiness from certain behaviors like 'guilty faces,' owners may foster stronger bonds with their pets.

This research has been published in Anthrozoos journal.