http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dog-perception-human-faces_us_56d8a654e4b0000de403d313
Ever wonder if Rover really loves you -- or if he's just in it for the kibbles?
a study published this week in the journal PLOS One has yielded fresh insight into how dogs see us. It adds to existing research showing that -- much like humans, other primates and even goats -- our canine friends use specific regions of their brain to "process" our faces.
"Our study provides evidence that human faces are truly special for dogs, as it involves particular brain activity," study co-author Dr. Luis Concha, an associate professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico's Institute of Neurobiology, told The Huffington Post in an email. "To dogs, the human face is no ordinary thing."
For the study, the researchers trained seven dogs (five border collies, one Labrador retriever and one golden retriever) to lie awake and motionless in an fMRI scanner while they were shown a series of color photographs. 50 of the photos were of human faces -- males and females unfamiliar to the dogs -- with neutral expressions. Another 50 showed everyday objects.
The researchers noticed that whether the dogs were looking at faces or objects, their brains showed activity in the occipital cortex, a region at the rear of the brain that is known to be involved in visual processing. But when the dogs were looking at faces, their brains also showed activity in the frontal lobe and the caudate nucleus -- regions associated with communication, emotional expression and storing memories.
This study builds on previous research indicating that the canine brain processes human faces in a special way. In an email to HuffPost, Dr. Gregory S. Berns, a neuroscientist at Emory University and the author of the 2013 book How Dogs Love Us, called the new study a "nice confirmation of what we found in a similar experiment in dogs last year."
>>27197
>yfw dogs are the one animal that can truly love you back
>>27207
It says other primates and goats
>>27210
Maybe that's why goat cheese is so addictive?!
>>27236
so just like human cheese?
>>27197
This also backs the study proving dogs have abstract thinking back in about 2006 or 7. They could categorize objects.
I'd like to see a study done for cats as well, to determine if cats really hate people.
>>27244
No, that sounds like something pedophiles & the sexually deranged would like.
>>27250
>Pedophile
>Wants an adult woman's milk cheese
>>27262
It's still fresh
>>27197
>shown a series of color photographs. 50 of the photos were of human faces -- males and females unfamiliar to the dogs -- with neutral expressions. Another 50 showed everyday objects.
>the canine brain processes human faces in a special way
wait, wouldn't they have to compare against faces of other dogs and random animal faces to make the claim that _human_ faces are processed in a special way? everyday objects create a good baseline but what if they process other animal faces that "special" way, too?
is this bad science or is this bad reporting?
>>27197
>Mexican intellectuals
>>27268
Neither.
They only tested on human faces, so they can't be sure about other faces. They are simply not commenting on other species faces.
It is a bit awkwardly phrased though.
>>27299
>>They only tested on human faces, so they can't be sure about other faces.
I get what you're saying, but it makes it seem like they have a human bias, which is contrary to the scientific method. by leaving out fellow dog faces and other animals, it seems like they're intentionally stacking the deck toward "dogs like humans best," possibly to secure funding or something. it's just not scientific.
a lie of omission, in other words.
>>27304
>Humans have a Human bias
Hmm... this doesn't make sense...
Another less feasible answer could be they didn't have the funding they needed to perform a more extensive test or they weren't smart enough to base line against a dog's face.
>>27304
>Mexican scientists operate contrary to the scientific method
>Said scientists do so for unethical monetary gain
>More news at 11
Dogs can make faces. Valid reason not to eat a certain food (meat) seems real legit
>>27248
They basically see us as giant bi-pedal cats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLb9EIiSyG8
http://www.isciencetimes.com/articles/6669/20140114/how-cats-see-us.htm
>>27347
I'm questioning your sources. The video is jumping to conclusions and the article argues just a big untested theory that is extrapolated from a vaguely(if) related study.
>>27347
C-cat girls?
>>27250
https://vimeo.com/44785496
