Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand
Related content
(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

The ontogeny of human point following in dogs: When younger dogs outperform older

Full text
Author(s):
Zaine, Isabela [1, 2] ; Domeniconi, Camila [1, 2] ; Wynne, Clive D. L. [3]
Total Authors: 3
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Programa Posgrad Psicol, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil
[2] Cognicao & Esino INCT ECCE, Inst Nacl Ciencia & Tecnol Sabre Comportamento, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil
[3] Arizona State Univ, Dept Psychol, Tempe, AZ 85281 - USA
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: Behavioural Processes; v. 119, p. 76-85, OCT 2015.
Web of Science Citations: 10
Abstract

We investigated puppies' responsiveness to hand points differing in salience. Experiment 1 compared performance of younger (8 weeks old) and older (12 weeks) shelter pups in following pointing gestures. We hypothesized that older puppies would show better performance. Both groups followed the easy and moderate but not the difficult pointing cues. Surprisingly, the younger pups outperformed the older ones in following the moderate and difficult points. Investigation of subjects' backgrounds revealed that significantly more younger pups had experience living in human homes than did the older pups. Thus, we conducted a second experiment to isolate the variable experience. We collected additional data from older pet pups living in human homes on the same three point types and compared their performance with the shelter pups from Experiment 1. The pups living in homes accurately followed all three pointing cues. When comparing both experienced groups, the older pet pups outperformed the younger shelter ones, as predicted. When comparing the two same-age groups differing in background experience, the pups living in homes outperformed the shelter pups. A significant correlation between experience with humans and success in following less salient cues was found. The importance of ontogenetic learning in puppies' responsiveness to certain human social cues is discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 13/00576-0 - Effects of human social cues on choice tasks performed by dogs, wolves and half breeds
Grantee:Isabela Zaine
Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
FAPESP's process: 11/06288-0 - Sensitivity to human social cues and emergent behaviors in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)
Grantee:Isabela Zaine
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate