Horses discriminate between facial expressions of conspecifics

• DOI: 10.1038/srep38322
• Publication Date: 2016-12-20T11:02:20Z
• Authors: J. Wathan; L. Proops; K. Grounds; K. McComb
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; BF0660; /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3205; 150; Experimental and Cognitive Psychology; BF0180; Article; Aggression; Facial Expression; 03 medical and health sciences; Heart Rate; Photography; Psychology; Animals; Humans; Attention; /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3201; Psychology (miscellaneous); /dk/atira/pure/core/subjects/psychology; Horses

In humans, facial expressions are rich sources of social information and have an important role in regulating interactions. However, the extent to which this is true non-human animals, particularly non-primates, remains largely unknown. Therefore we tested whether domestic horses (Equus caballus) could discriminate between their conspecifics captured different contexts, viewing these elicited functionally relevant reactions. Horses were more likely approach photographic stimuli displaying associated with positive attention relaxation, avoid expression aggression. Moreover, differing patterns heart rate changes observed response anticipation agonistic expressions. These results indicate that spontaneously photographs unknown portraying expressions, showing appropriate behavioural physiological responses. Thus horses, animal far-removed from primate lineage, also ability use as a means gaining potentially