University of Vienna study shows dogs can differentiate human emotions
Researchers at the University of Vienna found that dogs can tell apart fear, anger and sadness in people, not just happy or angry moods.
A recent experiment using MRI scans revealed that dogs' brains respond to different human facial expressions. Happy faces activated the nucleus caudatus, a region linked to reward. The study suggests domestication gave dogs advanced social skills for interpreting human feelings.
Why it matters
Understanding dogs' emotional perception can improve training, welfare and human-animal interactions.
In this story
dogshuman emotionsMRI studynucleus caudatusdomesticationsocial cognition
