Dogs are capable of recognizing people.
Can dogs detect lies? While they are known for their ability to sense fear, dogs may also be smarter than you think.
A study conducted by Akiko Takaoka of Kyoto University in Japan suggests that dogs are adept at detecting human behavior and can differentiate between truth and falsehood.
Researchers at Kyoto University conducted a study involving dogs to test their ability to distinguish truth from lies. The experiment involved using the fact that dogs will run towards a container that a person points at, assuming that it contains food. The researchers pointed at a container that had food, and the dogs ran towards it. They then pointed at an empty container, and the dogs ran towards it but found no food.
In the study, 34 dogs were involved in an experiment that aimed to test their ability to differentiate trustworthy and untrustworthy humans. The dogs were first pointed towards a container filled with hidden food, which they successfully found. The second time, the researchers pointed at an empty container, which the dogs also ran towards. However, on the third attempt, when the researchers pointed at a container with food again, the dogs refused to follow the direction, having lost their trust in the person who pointed earlier. The experiment’s result suggested that dogs are capable of recognizing a dishonest human or, on the other hand, that dogs have trust issues.
To put it simply, if you deceive your dog, it will perceive you as untrustworthy and act accordingly. According to Takaoka, “Dogs have a more advanced social intelligence than previously thought. This social intelligence evolved over time as they coexisted with humans.” Takaoka was also amazed at how quickly dogs were able to “reduce the reliability of a human.”
According to John Bradshaw, a researcher at the University of Bristol in the UK who was not involved in the study, the findings suggest that dogs have a preference for consistency and predictability. When human gestures are inconsistent, dogs tend to experience feelings of stress and anxiety.
The scientists intend to conduct a follow-up study using wolves instead of dogs since wolves are genetically similar to dogs. The objective is not to get attacked by wolves, but to observe the impact of domestication on dogs, which is considered to be significant.
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