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Fonseca MGB, Hilário HO, Kotrschal K, Range F, Virányi Z, Duarte MHL, Pereira LCG, Vasconcellos ADS. The Power of Discourse: Associations between Trainers' Speech and the Responses of Socialized Wolves and Dogs to Training. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1071. [PMID: 36978612 PMCID: PMC10044238 DOI: 10.3390/ani13061071] [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] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, we found that Positive Reinforcement Training reduced cortisol of wolves and dogs; however, this effect varied across trainer-animal dyads. Here we investigate whether and how the trainers' use of speech may contribute to this effect. Dogs' great interest in high-pitched, intense speech (also known as Dog Directed Speech) has already been reported, but whether and how wolves respond similarly/differently to voice characteristics has never been studied before. We analyzed 270 training sessions, conducted by five trainers, with nine mixed-breed dogs and nine wolves, all human-socialized. Through Generalized Linear Mixed Models, we analyzed the effects of (a) three speech categories (nice, neutral, reprehensive) and laugh; and (b) acoustic characteristics of trainers' voices on animals' responses (correct responses, latency, orientation, time at less than 1 m, non-training behaviors, tail position/movements, cortisol variation). In both subspecies, tail wagging occurred more often in sessions with longer durations of nice speech, and less often in sessions with reprehensive speech. For dogs, the duration of reprehensive speech within a session was also negatively related to correct responses. For wolves, retreat time was associated with more reprehensive speech, whereas duration of nice speech was positively associated with time spent within one meter from the trainer. In addition, most dog behavioral responses were associated with higher average intonations within sessions, while wolf responses were correlated with lower intonations within sessions. We did not find any effects of the variables considered on cortisol variation. Our study highlights the relevance of voice tone and speech in a training context on animals' performances and emotional reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Gabriela Bravo Fonseca
- Program of Post-Graduation in Vertebrate Biology, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30535-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Heron Oliveira Hilário
- Laboratory of Conservation Genetics, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30535-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Kurt Kotrschal
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Range
- Domestication Lab, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Messerli Research Institute—University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marina Henriques Lage Duarte
- Program of Post-Graduation in Vertebrate Biology, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30535-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Bioacoustics Laboratory, Museum of Natural Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30535-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Laryssa Cristina Gomes Pereira
- Program of Post-Graduation in Vertebrate Biology, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30535-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Angélica da Silva Vasconcellos
- Program of Post-Graduation in Vertebrate Biology, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30535-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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de Mouzon C, Gonthier M, Leboucher G. Discrimination of cat-directed speech from human-directed speech in a population of indoor companion cats (Felis catus). Anim Cogn 2023; 26:611-619. [PMID: 36280656 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01674-w] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In contemporary western cultures, most humans talk to their pet companions. Speech register addressed to companion animals shares common features with speech addressed to young children, which are distinct from the typical adult-directed speech (ADS). The way dogs respond to dog-directed speech (DDS) has raised scientists' interest. In contrast, much less is known about how cats perceive and respond to cat-directed speech (CDS). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether cats are more responsive to CDS than ADS. Secondarily, we seek to examine if the cats' responses to human vocal stimuli would differ when it was elicited by their owner or by a stranger. We performed playback experiments and tested a cohort of 16 companion cats in a habituation-dishabituation paradigm, which allows for the measurement of subjects' reactions without extensive training. Here, we report new findings that cats can discriminate speech specifically addressed to them from speech addressed to adult humans, when sentences are uttered by their owners. When hearing sentences uttered by strangers, cats did not appear to discriminate between ADS and CDS. These findings bring a new dimension to the consideration of human-cat relationship, as they imply the development of a particular communication into human-cat dyads, that relies upon experience. We discuss these new findings in the light of recent literature investigating cats' sociocognitive abilities and human-cat attachment. Our results highlight the importance of one-to-one relationships for cats, reinforcing recent literature regarding the ability for cats and humans to form strong bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte de Mouzon
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement (LECD), Université Paris Nanterre, 92000, Nanterre, France. .,EthoCat-Cat Behaviour Research and Consulting, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
| | - Marine Gonthier
- EthoCat-Cat Behaviour Research and Consulting, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Gérard Leboucher
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement (LECD), Université Paris Nanterre, 92000, Nanterre, France
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Mouzon CD, Gilbert C, Di-Stasi R, Leboucher G. How's my kitty? Acoustic parameters of cat-directed speech in human-cat interactions. Behav Processes 2022; 203:104755. [PMID: 36191757 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In Western cultures, humans tend to use a specific kind of speech when talking to their pets, characterised, from an acoustical point of view, by elevated pitch and greater pitch modulation. Pet-directed speech (PDS), which has been mainly studied in dogs, shares some acoustic features with infant-directed speech (IDS), used when talking to young children. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that adult humans also modify characteristics of their voice when talking to a cat. We compared acoustic parameters of speech directed to cats (CDS) and speech directed to adult humans (ADS). In a first experiment, we compared ADS and CDS utterances of male and female participants, addressing cats through video recordings, under controlled laboratory conditions. Both men and women used a higher pitch (mean fundamental frequency, or mean F0) in CDS vs. ADS. The second experiment was conducted under conditions allowing direct cat-human interactions, in a cohort of women. Once again, mean F0 was significantly higher in CDS vs. ADS. Overall, these data confirm our hypothesis that humans change the way they speak when addressing a cat, mainly by increasing the pitch of their voice. Further research is needed to fully investigate specificities of this speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte de Mouzon
- UPL, Université Paris Nanterre, Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement (LECD), 200, avenue de la république, 92000 Nanterre, France.
| | - Caroline Gilbert
- UMR 7179, CNRS/MNHN, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (EnvA), 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Romain Di-Stasi
- UPL, Université Paris Nanterre, Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement (LECD), 200, avenue de la république, 92000 Nanterre, France
| | - Gérard Leboucher
- UPL, Université Paris Nanterre, Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement (LECD), 200, avenue de la république, 92000 Nanterre, France
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Pet-directed speech improves horses' attention toward humans. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4297. [PMID: 35277552 PMCID: PMC8917202 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08109-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In a recent experiment, we showed that horses are sensitive to pet-directed speech (PDS), a kind of speech used to talk to companion animals that is characterized by high pitch and wide pitch variations. When talked to in PDS rather than adult-directed speech (ADS), horses reacted more favorably during grooming and in a pointing task. However, the mechanism behind their response remains unclear: does PDS draw horses’ attention and arouse them, or does it make their emotional state more positive? In this study, we used an innovative paradigm in which female horses watched videos of humans speaking in PDS or ADS to better understand this phenomenon. Horses reacted differently to the videos of PDS and ADS: they were significantly more attentive and their heart rates increased significantly more during PDS than during ADS. We found no difference in the expressions of negative or positive emotional states during PDS and ADS videos. Thus, we confirm that horses’ perception of humans can be studied by means of video projections, and we conclude that PDS attracts attention and has an arousing effect in horses, with consequences on the use of PDS in daily interactions with them.
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McDermott MP, Cobb MA, Robbé IJ, Dean RS. The Dolittle factor: 'Talking to the animals' during veterinary consultations. Vet Rec 2022; 190:e1380. [PMID: 35092708 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.1380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to identify and analyse the frequency and types of dialogue directed to animals by veterinary surgeons (i.e. pet-directed speech) in 55 routine companion animal consultations in the United Kingdom and United States. METHODS Instances of pet-directed speech were identified from video transcripts, coded, and analysed for content. RESULTS All consultations included pet-directed speech, with 779 instances in total, 284 in the United Kingdom and 495 in the United States. There were 12 unique dialogue codes identified, the top three being 'praise,' 'small talk,' and 'explanation'. CONCLUSION This study identified a wide variety of communication directed to the animal, which, combined with further research, could help enhance understanding of rapport built between the veterinary surgeon, animal, and owner during a consultation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Malcolm A Cobb
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, UK
| | - Iain J Robbé
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
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Fonseca MLA, Vasconcellos AS. Can Dogs' Origins and Interactions with Humans Affect Their Accomplishments? A Study on the Responses of Shelter and Companion Dogs during Vocal Cue Training. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051360. [PMID: 34064716 PMCID: PMC8151446 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The life history of animals is an important aspect to be considered when behavior, welfare, or cognition is investigated. Here, we aimed to study the behavioral responses of dogs with different origins—shelter and companion dogs—when learning two basic vocal cues (“sit” and “paw”), as well as possible associations between dogs’ responses and the behaviors of the trainers. Shelter dogs responded to more cues per session, were faster in their responses, and needed fewer repetitions of cues to respond than companion dogs. Moreover, shelter dogs spent more time wagging their tails during the sessions. Some behaviors of the trainers were associated with dogs’ behaviors—the use of a reproachful tone of voice, although associated with dog performance, was also linked to the exhibition of behaviors indicative of discomfort on the part of dogs. On the other hand, the use of a neutral tone of voice and laughter, in addition to being connected to performance, was also associated with behaviors indicative of excitement. These results suggest that shelter dogs’ capacities for learning vocal cues are not affected by the shelter environment. Furthermore, shelter dogs showed greater interest in the sessions than companion dogs, possibly due to the social deprivation in their routine. Our outcomes also point to a connection between friendly interactions during training and the dogs’ performance, and possibly their emotional state. The quality of the interactions seems to affect dogs’ performance and welfare more strongly than their origins. Abstract The inclusion of life history as a possible influential factor is pivotal in studies on behavior, welfare, and cognition. Shelter dogs have usually experienced a life involving poor social interactions with humans. Thus, we aimed to investigate the behavioral responses of shelter dogs (SDs) and companion dogs (CDs) during the training of two vocal cues (“sit”, “paw”), as well as the possible associations between their responses and the behaviors of trainers. We studied 15 SDs and 15 CDs in up to eight five-minute training sessions. Dogs’ and trainers’ behaviors were recorded and analyzed (through GLM, GLMM, correlation and Mann–Whitney tests). Shelter dogs responded to more cues per session, with shorter latencies and fewer repetitions of cues. Moreover, SDs spent more time wagging their tails. Dogs’ sex and trainers’ behaviors were also associated with differences in dogs’ responses. The use of a reproachful tone of voice was associated with a greater number of cues responded to, shorter latencies, and fewer repetitions of cues. However, this type voice/discourse was also linked to a greater exhibition of non-training behaviors (e.g., exploring the room or jumping on the trainer), and to dogs spending less time next to the trainer and wagging their tails. On the other hand, the use of a neutral tone of voice and laughter, besides being linked to performance, was also associated with longer durations of tail wagging. Furthermore, the duration of the trainers’ orientation to dogs was correlated with the orientation of the dogs to the trainers. Our data suggest that, even when having experienced social deprivation from humans, SDs’ capacities to learn vocal cues were preserved, possibly due to ontogenic homeostasis processes. Shelter dogs’ greater interest in the sessions may be also credited to their socially-deprived routine. Our outcomes also point to an association between friendly interactions during training and dog performance and excitement, which suggests that such interactions may have the potential to improve SD welfare.
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Lansade L, Trösch M, Parias C, Blanchard A, Gorosurreta E, Calandreau L. Horses are sensitive to baby talk: pet-directed speech facilitates communication with humans in a pointing task and during grooming. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:999-1006. [PMID: 33738670 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01487-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pet-directed speech (PDS) is a type of speech humans spontaneously use with their companion animals. It is very similar to speech commonly used when talking to babies. A survey on social media showed that 92.7% of the respondents used PDS with their horse, but only 44.4% thought that their horse was sensitive to it, and the others did not know or doubted its efficacy. We, therefore, decided to test the impact of PDS on two tasks. During a grooming task that consisted of the experimenter scratching the horse with their hand, the horses (n = 20) carried out significantly more mutual grooming gestures toward the experimenter, looked at the person more, and moved less when spoken to with PDS than with Adult-directed speech (ADS). During a pointing task in which the experimenter pointed at the location of a reward with their finger, horses who had been spoken to with PDS (n = 10) found the food significantly more often than chance, which was not the case when horses were spoken to with ADS (n = 10). These results thus indicate that horses, like certain non-human primates and dogs are sensitive to PDS. PDS could thus foster communication between people and horses during everyday interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Lansade
- PRC, INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
| | - Miléna Trösch
- PRC, INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Céline Parias
- PRC, INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Alice Blanchard
- PRC, INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
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