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Rentsch AK, Harlander A, Niel L, Siegford JM, Widowski TM. Raising laying hens: housing complexity and genetic strain affect startle reflex amplitude and behavioural response to fear-inducing stimuli. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231075. [PMID: 38511084 PMCID: PMC10951723 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Individual variation in fearfulness can be modified during ontogeny, and high levels of fear can affect animal welfare. We asked whether early-life environmental complexity and genetic strain affect fear behaviour in young laying hens (pullets). Four replicates of brown (B) and white (W) genetic strains (breeds) of layers were each raised in four environmental treatments (housing): conventional cages (Conv) and different rearing aviaries with increasing space and complexity (Low < Mid < High). We used a startle reflex test (weeks 4 and 14) to measure startle amplitude and autonomic response (i.e. comb temperature). A combination of novel arena (NA) and novel object (NO) tests was used (week 14) to assess NA exploration and alertness, latency to approach the centre and initial NO avoidance and investigation. Housing × strain affected startle amplitude (B-Conv, B-High < B-Low, B-Mid; B > W; no housing effect in W) but not autonomic response. Fear behaviour was affected by housing (NA exploration, investigation: Conv < Low, Mid, High; NO avoidance: Conv, High < Low, Mid), strain (NA alertness: B > W, NO avoidance: W > B) and their interaction (NA centre approach: B-Conv < all other groups). We present evidence for strain-specific fear responses depending on early experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana K. Rentsch
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alexandra Harlander
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Lee Niel
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Janice M. Siegford
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, 474 South Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI48824-1225, USA
| | - Tina M. Widowski
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, OntarioN1G 2W1, Canada
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2
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Buenhombre J, Daza-Cardona EA, Mota-Rojas D, Domínguez-Oliva A, Rivera A, Medrano-Galarza C, de Tarso P, Cajiao-Pachón MN, Vargas F, Pedraza-Toscano A, Sousa P. Trait sensitivity to stress and cognitive bias processes in fish: A brief overview. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 7:e3. [PMID: 38384666 PMCID: PMC10877277 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2023.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Like other animals, fish have unique personalities that can affect their cognition and responses to environmental stressors. These individual personality differences are often referred to as "behavioural syndromes" or "stress coping styles" and can include personality traits such as boldness, shyness, aggression, exploration, locomotor activity, and sociability. For example, bolder or proactive fish may be more likely to take risks and present lower hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal axis reactivity as compared to shy or reactive individuals. Likewise, learning and memory differ between fish personalities. Reactive or shy individuals tend to have faster learning and better association recall with aversive stimuli, while proactive or bold individuals tend to learn more quickly when presented with appetitive incentives. However, the influence of personality on cognitive processes other than cognitive achievement in fish has been scarcely explored. Cognitive bias tests have been employed to investigate the interplay between emotion and cognition in both humans and animals. Fish present cognitive bias processes (CBP) in which fish's interpretation of stimuli could be influenced by its current emotional state and open to environmental modulation. However, no study in fish has explored whether CBP, like in other species, can be interpreted as long-lasting traits and whether other individual characteristics may explain its variation. We hold the perspective that CBP could serve as a vulnerability factor for the onset, persistence, and recurrence of stress-related disorders. Therefore, studying fish's CBP as a state or trait and its interactions with individual variations may be valuable in future efforts to enhance our understanding of anxiety and stress neurobiology in animal models and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhon Buenhombre
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agrarian Science, Animal Welfare Program, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá, Colombia
- ICB Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Erika Alexandra Daza-Cardona
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agrarian Science, Animal Welfare Program, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Campus, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adriana Domínguez-Oliva
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Campus, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Astrid Rivera
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agrarian Science, Animal Welfare Program, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Catalina Medrano-Galarza
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agrarian Science, Animal Welfare Program, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - María Nelly Cajiao-Pachón
- Especialización en Bienestar Animal y Etología, Fundación Universitaria Agraria de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Francisco Vargas
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agrarian Science, Animal Welfare Program, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Pedraza-Toscano
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agrarian Science, Animal Welfare Program, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Pêssi Sousa
- ICB Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
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3
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Decker S, Lavery JM, Mason GJ. Don't use it? Don't lose it! Why active use is not required for stimuli, resources or "enrichments" to have welfare value. Zoo Biol 2023; 42:467-475. [PMID: 36779682 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Current frameworks for designing and evaluating good enclosures and "enrichments" typically focus on animals' active interactions with these features. This has undoubtedly improved the welfare of zoo-housed animals over the last 30 years or more. However, literature reviews from this same period identify persistent gaps in how such frameworks are applied: experiences and behaviors that do not rely on active interaction with stimuli or resources are largely ignored, when evaluating the welfare value of enclosures and enrichments within them. Here, we review research evidence demonstrating that active interaction is not always a reliable measure of welfare value, showing that items that elicit little or no interaction can nevertheless still reduce stress and improve well-being. This evidence largely comes from research on humans, lab animals and farm animals, but also from some zoo studies too. We then investigate why. We review psychology and ethology literatures to show that such welfare benefits can arise from five, non-mutually exclusive, processes or mechanisms that are well-understood in humans and domestic animals: (1) some motivations are sated quickly by interaction with resources, yet still have large welfare benefits; (2) active interaction may just be a way to achieve a goal or solve a problem, without being beneficial for welfare in itself; (3) having opportunities for choice and control may be inherently beneficial, even when not acted on; (4) some enclosure features meet social needs for structure, landmarks, and blocked sightlines; and (5) some stimuli may be preferred because they signaled good environments to an animal's ancestors. We use this information to identify improved ways of enhancing and assessing zoo animal welfare. Incorporating these concepts should expand the scope of behaviors and subjective experiences that are targeted, to now include those that involve little active interaction and yet still are important for good welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Decker
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - J Michelle Lavery
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Georgia J Mason
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
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4
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Lourenço-Silva MI, Ulans A, Campbell AM, Almeida Paz ICL, Jacobs L. Social-pair judgment bias testing in slow-growing broiler chickens raised in low- or high-complexity environments. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9393. [PMID: 37296295 PMCID: PMC10256692 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36275-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Impacts of environmental complexity on affective states in slow-growing broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) are unknown. Chickens' performance in judgment bias tests (JBT) can be limited as they are tested individually, causing fear and anxiety. The objectives were to apply a social-pair JBT to assess the effect of environmental complexity on slow-growing broiler chickens` affective states, and assess the impact of fearfulness, anxiety, and chronic stress on JBT performance. Six-hundred Hubbard Redbro broilers were housed in six low-complexity (similar to commercial) or six high-complexity (permanent and temporary enrichments) pens. Twelve chicken pairs were trained (1 pair/pen, n = 24 chickens) using a multimodal approach (visual and spatial cues), with reward and neutral cues of opposing color and location. Three ambiguous cues were tested: near-positive, middle, and near-neutral cues. Approach and pecking behavior were recorded. Eighty-three percent of chickens (20/24) were successfully trained in 13 days. Fearfulness, anxiety, and chronic stress did not impact chickens' performance. Chickens successfully discriminated between cues. Low-complexity chickens approached the middle cue faster than high-complexity chickens, indicating that they were in a more positive affective state. The environmental complexity provided in this study did not improve affective states in slow-growing broiler chickens compared to a control. A social-pair JBT resulted in excellent learning and testing outcomes in slow-growing broilers.
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Affiliation(s)
- M I Lourenço-Silva
- Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (FMVZ), São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - A Ulans
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - A M Campbell
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - I C L Almeida Paz
- Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (FMVZ), São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - L Jacobs
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
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van Staaveren N, Tobalske BW, Brost J, Sharma R, Beaufrère H, Elias A, Harlander-Matauschek A. Biomechanics of landing in injured and uninjured chickens and the role of meloxicam. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102794. [PMID: 37307632 PMCID: PMC10276282 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Birds use their legs and wings when transitioning from aerial to ground locomotion during landing. To improve our understanding of the effects of footpad dermatitis (FPD) and keel bone fracture (KBF) upon landing biomechanics in laying hens, we measured ground-reaction forces generated by hens (n = 37) as they landed on force plates (Bertec Corporation, Columbus, OH) from a 30 cm drop or 170 cm jump in a single-blinded placebo-controlled trial using a cross-over design where birds received an anti-inflammatory (meloxicam, 5 mg/kg body mass) or placebo treatment beforehand. We used generalized linear mixed models to test for effects of health status, treatment and their interaction on landing velocity (m/s), maximum resultant force (N), and impulse (force integrated with respect to time [N s]). Birds with FPD and KBF tended to show divergent alterations to their landing biomechanics when landing from a 30 cm drop, with a higher landing velocity and maximum force in KBF compared to FPD birds, potentially indicative of efforts to either reduce the use of their wings or impacts on inflamed footpads. In contrast, at 170 cm jumps fewer differences between birds of different health statuses were observed likely due to laying hens being poor flyers already at their maximum power output. Our results indicate that orthopedic injuries, apart from being welfare issues on their own, may have subtle influences on bird mobility through altered landing biomechanics that should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nienke van Staaveren
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bret W Tobalske
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Jacob Brost
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rahul Sharma
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hugues Beaufrère
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Audrey Elias
- School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
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Paul ES, Browne W, Mendl MT, Caplen G, Held S, Trevarthen A, Nicol CJ. Affective trajectories: Are hens influenced by positive and negative changes in their living conditions? Appl Anim Behav Sci 2023; 261:105883. [PMID: 39086993 PMCID: PMC7616324 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Most studies of the effects of housing and husbandry on animals' affective states and welfare investigate the impact of stable living conditions, comparing for example, animals living in enriched environments with those living in non-enriched ones. Changes in living conditions, including from more to less enriched environments, have also been found to have effects on measures of affective state and welfare in some species. But these studies have not investigated whether it is the trajectory of change that has affected the animals (e.g., worsening conditions), or simply the nature of their final environment (e.g., non-enriched). Here, we hypothesised that laying hens living in worsening conditions across a six-week period (gradually moving from preferred to non-preferred living conditions; "Trajectory to Non-Preferred", TNP, n = 30), would show evidence of more negative affective states and poorer welfare than those living continuously in non-preferred conditions for the same duration ("Stable Non-Preferred", SNP, n = 30). We also hypothesised that hens living in improving conditions (gradually moving from non-preferred to preferred living conditions; "Trajectory to Preferred", TP, n = 30), would show evidence of more positive affective states and better welfare than those living continuously in preferred conditions ("Stable Preferred", SP, n = 30). The preferred living condition provided extensive resources and intermittent rewarding events (such as the delivery of food treats) known to be valued and preferred by most hens, while the non-preferred living condition provided just basic resources and intermittent aversive events (e.g., loud noises). The hens' affective states and welfare were measured using home-pen behavioural observations, body condition assessments, physiological stress measures (e.g., blood corticosterone, glucose, etc.), physical challenge tests, and judgement bias tests. A number of differences between hens in the trajectory and stable living conditions were found: TP hens were lighter, showed more foraging behaviour and less standing alert and head-shaking than SP hens, while TNP hens showed more head-shaking, mild feather pecking and aggressive attacking of pen mates than SNP hens. However, some of these differences failed to reach significance following Benjamini adjustments for multiple testing. The groups also did not differ in their judgement biases (measured in a sub-sample of 12 hens per experimental group), response to physical challenges, or measures of physiological stress. We conclude that the hens in the present study showed some evidence of responsiveness to 'affective trajectories' in their living conditions, but no definitive effects on their affective states and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth S. Paul
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, LangfordBS40 5DU, UK
| | - William Browne
- School of Education, University of Bristol, 35 Berkeley Square, BristolBS8 1JA, UK
| | - Michael T. Mendl
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, LangfordBS40 5DU, UK
| | - Gina Caplen
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, LangfordBS40 5DU, UK
| | - Suzanne Held
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, LangfordBS40 5DU, UK
| | - Anna Trevarthen
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, LangfordBS40 5DU, UK
| | - Christine J. Nicol
- Royal Veterinary School, Hawkshead Lane, Brookmans Park, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
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7
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Structural environmental enrichment and the way it is offered influence cognitive judgement bias and anxiety-like behaviours in zebrafish. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:563-577. [PMID: 36209454 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01700-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Environmental enrichment in zebrafish generally reduces anxiety-related behaviours, improves learning in maze trials and increases health and biological fitness. However, certain types of enrichment or certain conditions induce the opposite effects. Therefore, it is essential to study the characteristics of environmental enrichment that modulate these effects. This study aims to investigate if structural environmental enrichment and the way it is offered influence cognitive judgement bias and anxiety-like behaviours in adult zebrafish. The fish were assigned to six housing manipulations: constant barren, constant enrichment, gradual gain of enrichment, gradual loss of enrichment, sudden gain of enrichment and sudden loss of enrichment. We then transposed the cognitive judgment bias paradigm, formerly used in studies on other animals to measure the link between emotion and cognition, to objectively assess the impact of these manipulations on the zebrafish's interpretation of ambiguous stimuli, considering previous experiences and related emotional states. We used two battery tests (light/dark and activity tests), which measured anxiety-related behaviours to check if these tests covariate with cognitive bias results. The fish with a sudden gain in enrichment showed a pessimistic bias (interpreted ambiguous stimuli as negative). In addition, the fish that experienced a sudden gain and a gradual loss in enrichment showed more anxiety-like behaviours than the fish that experienced constant conditions or a gradual gain in enrichment. The data provide some proof that structural environmental enrichment and the way it is presented can alter zebrafish's cognitive bias and anxiety-like behaviours.
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8
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Jacobs L, Blatchford RA, de Jong IC, Erasmus MA, Levengood M, Newberry RC, Regmi P, Riber AB, Weimer SL. Enhancing their quality of life: environmental enrichment for poultry. Poult Sci 2022; 102:102233. [PMID: 36351344 PMCID: PMC9647224 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.102233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Providing environmental enrichments that increase environmental complexity can benefit poultry welfare. This Poultry Science Association symposium paper is structured around four themes on 1) poultry preferences and affective states 2) species-specific behavior, including play behavior and the relationship between behavior, activity level and walking ability, 3) environmental enrichment and its relationship with indicators of welfare, and 4) a case study focusing on the application of enrichments in commercial broiler chicken production. For effective enrichment strategies, the birds' perspective matters most, and we need to consider individual variation, social dynamics, and previous experience when assessing these strategies. Play behavior can be a valuable indicator of positive affect, and while we do not yet know how much play would be optimal, absence of play suggests a welfare deficit. Activity levels and behavior can be improved by environmental modifications and prior research has shown that the activity level of broilers can be increased, at least temporarily, by increasing the environmental complexity. However, more research on impacts of enrichments on birds' resilience, on birds in commercial conditions, and on slow(er)-growing strains is needed. Finally, incorporating farmers' expertise can greatly benefit enrichment design and implementation on commercial farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Jacobs
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
| | - R A Blatchford
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Animal Welfare, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - I C de Jong
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - M A Erasmus
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IA, USA
| | | | - R C Newberry
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - P Regmi
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - A B Riber
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - S L Weimer
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
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Atkinson L, Doyle RE, Woodward A, Jongman EC. Behavioural reactivity testing in sheep indicates the presence of multiple temperament traits. Behav Processes 2022; 201:104711. [PMID: 35872160 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Temperament in sheep is commonly presented as unidimensional, with a 'nervous' temperament indicative of fear and reactivity towards humans and novel environments. However, temperament is multidimensional, with some traits expressed only under certain conditions (context-specific). There is evidence that a common temperament test in sheep, the isolation-box (IB), measures level of activity and not fearfulness as intended, and that behaviours measured in the IB test are indicative of different traits. To investigate this, 16 behavioural responses to a human, to being startled, and to confinement (IB test) were measured in 89 lambs, twice, three months apart. Our results agree with previous studies that vocalisations in all tests and locomotion in two, show high repeatability over time. A principal component analysis identified that vocalisations are domain-general, and are indicative of the trait 'sociability', however locomotion is context-specific' and captures the traits 'exploration-avoidance', 'boldness-shyness' and 'general activity'. A cluster analysis identified four behavioural profiles that indicate the trait 'boldness-shyness' captures reactivity towards humans. This suggests the IB test, which measures 'general activity', is unsuitable for measuring reactivity towards humans in sheep, and that when studying the impact of temperament on other factors, multiple conditions should be used when identify temperament traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh Atkinson
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne, Corner Park Drive and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Rebecca E Doyle
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne, Corner Park Drive and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew Woodward
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ellen C Jongman
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne, Corner Park Drive and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria, Australia
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10
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Bird Welfare in Zoos and Aquariums: General Insights across Industries. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jzbg3020017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal welfare is a priority across accredited zoological institutions; however, historically, research has been prioritized for mammals. Bird-focused studies accounted for less than 10% of welfare research in zoos and aquariums over the last ten years. Due to the lack of scientific publications on bird welfare, zoo scientists and animal practitioners can look to other industries such as agriculture, laboratories, and companion animal research for insight. This qualitative review highlights findings across industries to inform animal care staff and scientists on the welfare needs of birds within zoos and aquariums. Specifically, the review includes an overview of research on different topics and a summary of key findings across nine resources that affect bird welfare. We also highlight areas where additional research is necessary. Future welfare research in zoos and aquariums should prioritize studies that consider a diversity of bird species across topics and work to identify animal-based measures with empirical evidence. Moving forward, research from other industries can help develop innovative research on bird welfare within zoos and aquariums.
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11
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Assessing animal welfare: a triangulation of preference, judgement bias and other candidate welfare indicators. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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12
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Kremer L, Bus JD, Webb LE, Bokkers EAM, Engel B, van der Werf JTN, Schnabel SK, van Reenen CG. Housing and personality effects on judgement and attention biases in dairy cows. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22984. [PMID: 34836990 PMCID: PMC8626508 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01843-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Affective states can be inferred from responses to ambiguous and threatening stimuli, using Judgement Bias Tasks (JBTs) and Attention Bias Tasks (ABTs). We investigated the separate and interactive effects of personality and housing conditions on dairy cattle affective states. We assessed personality in 48 heifers using Open-Field, Novel-Object and Runway tests. Personality effects on responses to the JBT and to the ABT were examined when heifers were housed under reference conditions. Heifers were subsequently housed under positive or negative conditions, and housing effects on animal responses in both tasks were investigated while controlling for personality. A Principal Component Analysis revealed three personality traits labelled Activity, Fearfulness and Sociability. Under reference conditions, personality influenced heifers' responses to the JBT and to the ABT, therefore questioning the tasks' generalizability across individuals. Against expectations, housing did not influence responses to the JBT and heifers in the negative conditions looked at the threat later than heifers in the positive or reference conditions. More research is warranted to confirm the validity and the repeatability of the JBT and of the ABT as appropriate measures of affective states in dairy cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Kremer
- Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands. .,Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Jacinta D. Bus
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura E. Webb
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eddie A. M. Bokkers
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Engel
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Biometris, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jozef T. N. van der Werf
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine K. Schnabel
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Biometris, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis G. van Reenen
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands ,grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
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13
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Campbell DL, Whitten JM, Slater E, Lee C. Rearing enrichments differentially modified hen personality traits and reduced prediction of range use. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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14
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Lecorps B, Weary DM, von Keyserlingk MAG. Negative expectations and vulnerability to stressors in animals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:240-251. [PMID: 34454913 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Humans express stable differences in pessimism that render some individuals more vulnerable to stressors and mood disorders. We explored whether non-human animals express stable individual differences in expectations (assessed via judgment bias tests) and whether these differences relate to susceptibility to stressors. Judgment bias tests do not distinguish pessimism from sensitivity to reinforcers; negative expectations are likely driven by a combination of these two elements. The available evidence suggests that animals express stable individual differences in expectations such that some persistently perceive ambiguous situations in a more negative way. A lack of research prevents drawing firm conclusions on how negative expectations affect responses to stressors, but current evidence suggests a link between negative expectations and the adoption of avoidance coping strategies, stronger responses to uncontrollable stressors and risk of mood-related disorders. We explore implications for animals living in captivity and for research using animals as models for human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lecorps
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, 2357 Main Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z6, Canada
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, 2357 Main Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z6, Canada
| | - Marina A G von Keyserlingk
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, 2357 Main Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z6, Canada.
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15
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Anderson MG, Campbell AM, Crump A, Arnott G, Jacobs L. Environmental complexity positively impacts affective states of broiler chickens. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16966. [PMID: 34417475 PMCID: PMC8379235 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95280-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Affective state can bias an animal's judgement. Animals in positive affective states can interpret ambiguous cues more positively ("optimistically") than animals in negative affective states. Thus, judgement bias tests can determine an animal's affective state through their responses to ambiguous cues. We tested the effects of environmental complexity and stocking density on affective states of broiler chickens through a multimodal judgement bias test. Broilers were trained to approach reinforced locations signaled by one color and not to approach unreinforced locations signaled by a different color. Trained birds were tested for latencies to approach three ambiguous cues of intermediate color and location. Broilers discriminated between cues, with shorter latencies to approach ambiguous cues closest to the reinforced cue than cues closest to the unreinforced cue, validating the use of the test in this context. Broilers housed in high-complexity pens approached ambiguous cues faster than birds in low-complexity pens-an optimistic judgement bias, suggesting the former were in a more positive affective state. Broilers from high-density pens tended to approach all cues faster than birds from low-density pens, possibly because resource competition in their home pen increased food motivation. Overall, our study suggests that environmental complexity improves broilers' affective states, implying animal welfare benefits of environmental enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. G. Anderson
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA USA
| | - A. M. Campbell
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA USA
| | - A. Crump
- grid.13063.370000 0001 0789 5319Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - G. Arnott
- grid.4777.30000 0004 0374 7521School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - L. Jacobs
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA USA
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16
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Košťál Ľ, Skalná Z, Pichová K. Use of cognitive bias as a welfare tool in poultry. J Anim Sci 2020; 98:S63-S79. [PMID: 32016360 PMCID: PMC7433926 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaa039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In human psychology, the link between cognition and emotions is broadly accepted. However, the idea of using the interaction between cognition and emotions as a tool for a better understanding of animal emotions or for welfare assessment is relatively new. The first avian species used in cognitive bias tests was the European starling followed by the domestic chicken and other species. The most frequently used paradigm is the affect-induced judgment bias. There are many variations of the judgment bias tests in birds. The test itself is preceded by discrimination training. Discrimination tasks vary from visual cue discrimination, discrimination of time intervals to spatial location discrimination. During the discrimination training, birds flip or do not flip the lids of the food dishes, and their latency to approach the cues in a straight alley maze, in a two-choice arena, or different locations in spatial judgment task arena are measured. Alternately, the birds fulfill operant tasks in a Skinner box. Before or after the discrimination training phase, birds are subjected to manipulations that are hypothesized to induce positive or negative emotional states. In the last stage, birds are subjected to judgment bias tests. The assumption is that animals in a negative affective state would more likely respond to ambiguous cues, as if they predict the negative event, than animals in a more positive state. However, the results of some avian studies are inconsistent, particularly those studying the effect of environmental enrichment. In starlings, each of the three studies has supplied conflicting results. In poultry, none of the four studies demonstrated a positive effect of environmental enrichment on emotional states. Only the study using unpredictable stressors in combination with environmental complexity showed that animals kept in a more complex environment are more optimistic. Manipulation of the social environment seems to be more effective in judgment bias induction. Conflicting results could be attributable to the design of the tests, the manner of affect induction, or the data analysis. Further optimization and validation of avian cognitive bias tests could help to avoid problems such as the loss of ambiguity. New methods of attention and memory bias testing are promising. However, regardless of the abovementioned complications, a cognitive bias paradigm is a valuable tool, which can help us better understand avian emotions and assess poultry welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ľubor Košťál
- Centre of Biosciences, Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Skalná
- Centre of Biosciences, Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Pichová
- Centre of Biosciences, Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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17
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Ross M, Rausch Q, Vandenberg B, Mason G. Hens with benefits: Can environmental enrichment make chickens more resilient to stress? Physiol Behav 2020; 226:113077. [PMID: 32738316 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Resilience, the degree to which individuals are physiologically and behaviourally impacted by stressors, can be enhanced by positive experiences (e.g. positive moods in human, environmental enrichment in rodents). Such effects are important for human health, but could also have important animal welfare implications in terms of farm, laboratory and zoo animals' abilities to cope with stressors. Here we investigated whether enrichments can increase resilience in chickens, the world's most abundant agricultural animal. The stress reactivity of laying hens housed for 5-6 weeks in enriched environments was compared to that of controls housed in smaller, emptier, less preferred pens, via: 1) startle reflex amplitudes to an abrupt, intense sensory stimulus (a light flash); and 2) autonomic responses to restraint and the sudden appearance of a novel object, assessed from decreases in comb temperature. Startle amplitudes were consistently reduced in the enriched hens, exerted with around one sixth the force seen in control hens. Maximum comb temperature decreases, and latencies for comb temperatures to return to prestress levels, also both fell by around a third. Enrichment thus reduced hens' intrinsic behavioural and physiological responses to standardized stressors (doing so even outside the home pen), just as occurs in laboratory rodents. Enrichment also reduced baseline comb temperature, suggesting that this could be a non-invasive indicator of welfare. Altered judgment biases did not seem to be the mechanism. Further work should now investigate the processes underlying the apparently enhanced stress resilience of animals housed in preferred conditions, and also investigate baseline comb temperature as a chronic stress indicator in poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misha Ross
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Quinn Rausch
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Brittany Vandenberg
- Ontario Veterinary College (Class of 2022), University of Guelph 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Georgia Mason
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 Canada.
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18
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Statham P, Hannuna S, Jones S, Campbell N, Robert Colborne G, Browne WJ, Paul ES, Mendl M. Quantifying defence cascade responses as indicators of pig affect and welfare using computer vision methods. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8933. [PMID: 32488058 PMCID: PMC7265448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65954-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Affective states are key determinants of animal welfare. Assessing such states under field conditions is thus an important goal in animal welfare science. The rapid Defence Cascade (DC) response (startle, freeze) to sudden unexpected stimuli is a potential indicator of animal affect; humans and rodents in negative affective states often show potentiated startle magnitude and freeze duration. To be a practical field welfare indicator, quick and easy measurement is necessary. Here we evaluate whether DC responses can be quantified in pigs using computer vision. 280 video clips of induced DC responses made by 12 pigs were analysed by eye to provide 'ground truth' measures of startle magnitude and freeze duration which were also estimated by (i) sparse feature tracking computer vision image analysis of 200 Hz video, (ii) load platform, (iii) Kinect depth camera, and (iv) Kinematic data. Image analysis data strongly predicted ground truth measures and were strongly positively correlated with these and all other estimates of DC responses. Characteristics of the DC-inducing stimulus, pig orientation relative to it, and 'relaxed-tense' pig behaviour prior to it moderated DC responses. Computer vision image analysis thus offers a practical approach to measuring pig DC responses, and potentially pig affect and welfare, under field conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy Statham
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Sion Hannuna
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Samantha Jones
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Neill Campbell
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
| | - G Robert Colborne
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand
| | - William J Browne
- School of Education and Centre for Multilevel Modelling, University of Bristol, 35 Berkeley Square, Bristol, BS8 1JA, UK
| | - Elizabeth S Paul
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Michael Mendl
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK.
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19
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Paul ES, Sher S, Tamietto M, Winkielman P, Mendl MT. Towards a comparative science of emotion: Affect and consciousness in humans and animals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:749-770. [PMID: 31778680 PMCID: PMC6966324 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The componential view of human emotion recognises that affective states comprise conscious, behavioural, physiological, neural and cognitive elements. Although many animals display bodily and behavioural changes consistent with the occurrence of affective states similar to those seen in humans, the question of whether and in which species these are accompanied by conscious experiences remains controversial. Finding scientifically valid methods for investigating markers for the subjective component of affect in both humans and animals is central to developing a comparative understanding of the processes and mechanisms of affect and its evolution and distribution across taxonomic groups, to our understanding of animal welfare, and to the development of animal models of affective disorders. Here, contemporary evidence indicating potential markers of conscious processing in animals is reviewed, with a view to extending this search to include markers of conscious affective processing. We do this by combining animal-focused approaches with investigations of the components of conscious and non-conscious emotional processing in humans, and neuropsychological research into the structure and functions of conscious emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth S Paul
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, UK.
| | - Shlomi Sher
- Department of Psychology, Pomona College, Claremont, CA, USA
| | - Marco Tamietto
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Piotr Winkielman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michael T Mendl
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, UK
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