Citizen Science as a New Tool in Dog Cognition Research

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135176
• Publication Date: 2015-09-16T20:08:49Z
• Authors: Laughlin Stewart; Evan L. MacLean; David Ivy; Vanessa Woods; Eliot Cohen; Kerri Rodriguez; Matthew McIntyre; Sayan Mukherjee; Josep Call; Juliane Kaminski; Ádám Miklósi; Richard W. Wrangham; Brian Hare
• Keywords: Citizen Science; Behavioural sciences; Animal cognition

Family dogs and dog owners offer a potentially powerful way to conduct citizen science answer questions about animal behavior that are difficult with more conventional approaches. Here we evaluate the quality of first data on cognition collected by scientists using Dognition.com website. We conducted analyses understand if generated over 500 replicates internally in comparison previously published findings. Half participants participated for free while other half paid access. The website provided each participant temperament questionnaire instructions how series ten cognitive tests. Participation required internet access, some common household items. Participants could record their responses any PC, tablet or smartphone from anywhere world were retained servers. Results replicated number described phenomena lab-based research. There was little evidence manipulated results. To illustrate potential uses relatively large samples data, then used factor analysis examine individual differences across tasks. best explained multiple factors support hypothesis nonhumans, including dogs, can evolve domains vary independently. This suggests future, will generate useful datasets test hypotheses as complement laboratory techniques study psychology.