Ever wonder, specifically, what your dog is feeling when they wag their tail at you? Most people just assume they’re feeling happy, but your dog could be feeling a much wider range of emotions than you think. In general, the lion with its pride in the documentary, the octopus in the aquarium, or even the pigeon you see strolling down the street are all capable of feeling as much as we do.
Table of Contents:
- What Are Emotions?
- Basic VS Complex Emotions
- Scientific Evidence for Animal Emotions
- Why Understanding Animal Emotions Matters
What Are Emotions?
In a nutshell, emotions are a conscious mental reaction that is usually followed with a physiological and/or behavioral changes in the body. The smile on your face when you eat your favourite treat or the cliché sweaty palms and thundering heart when seeing someone you like are all physical reactions to a certain emotion. The point of them? To help you adapt and survive.
Similarly, animals experience emotions for the same reason. Fear helps them avoid predators and joy reinforces behaviors like playing that strengthen social bonds.
However, even defining what emotion is to other animals has its own drawbacks. Defining emotion descriptively limits our understanding of animal emotions, reducing them to only similar possibilities in comparison to our own constructs. On the other hand, defining emotion prescriptively leads to varying lists of “emotional animals” based on the chosen definition. The key is to understand that emotions are many general biological processes that vary across different species.
Basic VS Complex Emotions:
Basic emotions had evolved for survival, which means that they were a big part in the evolution of our species. Complex emotions, on the other hand, are a synthesis of two or more other emotions. Emotions like grief and empathy are generally considered complex while emotions like anger and happiness are considered basic.
Scientific Evidence for Animal Emotions:
- Elephants Mourn A Lost Conservationist
Conservationist Lawrence Anthony formed deep bonds with elephants at the Thula Thula Reserve, earning their trust and protecting them. After his death, the herd visited his home nightly, seemingly to mourn him. This rare act highlights elephants’ empathy, extending beyond their own species.
- Rats Look Out For Their Friends
Rats in a study rescued drowning peers by sacrificing treats to free them, which means they prioritized others’ well-being over their own. When no distressed rat was present, they took the treat, underscoring their empathy as well.
- Wild Animals Feeling Stressed in Captivity:
Many wild animals are brought into captivity and might experience physiological stress and even depression. Some indicators could be the weight change they go through or the fluctuations of GC concentrations (hormones that regulate various physiological systems and respond to stress).
Why Understanding Animal Emotions Matters
Understanding animal emotions pushes us to improve the environments we provide in farms, zoos, and homes, enhancing their well-being and our relationships with them. It forces us to consider the implications of our actions, and to reconsider the difference between humans and other animals. Arguments can exist surrounding the complexity of animal emotions, yet most scientists agree that animals are conscious beings with emotional experiences—leaving much yet to be discovered.
