Dogs Too Are Capable Of Feeling Jealous, Says A New Study
Jealously is not an emotion confined to human beings alone, dogs too can feel jealous though at a more basic level which, according to researchers, might have evolved to protect social bonds against intruders.
The subject of whether jealously is as a result of complex cognition that can only be attained by humans has been a source of debate among researchers.
In a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, University of California researchers set out to study the emotion in the canines.
During the experiment Christine Harris, a phycology professor and student Caroline Prouvost observed that when a dog owner showed affection towards a stuffed dog, his/her dog could snap at the stuffed canine, touch their owner or push the intruder away.
For the study, the researchers considered 36 puppies all below the age of 6 months. They watched for signs of attention-seeking, interest or aggression towards their owners as hints of jealousy.
“Our study suggests not only that dogs do engage in what appear to be jealous behaviors but also that they were seeking to break up the connection between the owner and a seeming rival,” says Harris. “We can’t really speak to the dogs’ subjective experiences.” But according to him it seems the dogs wanted to protect a social relationship that is important to them.
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http://rayhawkreview.com/dogs-capable-feeling-jealous-says-new-study/34269
They had to do a 'study' to conclude that? Oh can they be jealous, let me count the ways...
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