Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffC  Similarly, in both cases in the "guilt experiment," the dog was scolded whether it did anything wrong or not. Thus, the only thing that that experiment proves is that you can get a dog to slink if you scold it. Whether or not a dog will slink from different stimulus, guilt for example, was never tested. |
Very good point!! It's always amazing to me when when researches describe something incorrectly as causative, rather than (correctly) as correlative.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffC However, anecdotally at least, there are some fairly good indications that dogs do have the sense of anticipation of consequences, and therefore, a sense of having done something wrong. One does not have to own a dog for very long to run across a situation where you come in the door or come around a corner and the first thing you notice is your dog slinking or hanging its head even before you see the puddle on the floor or wet spot on the carpet, the scraps of food that used to be the sandwich you left on the counter, the shredded paper on the floor that used to be in the trash, and so on. Since you observed his reaction before you saw the cause of his reaction, he is anticipating your displeasure, not reacting to anything you are doing. This is a fairly good indication that he knows what he has done is socially unacceptable behavior and is anticipating negative consequences. In other words, he is reacting to a sense of guilt, not an unpleasant stimulus. |
Great description!! If a dog does something they "know" they are not supposed to do, his reaction before you even saw the cause may not be the same "guilt" feeling you and I have....could be more like having learned the consequences for that action and so showing the "sorry" or "defeated" look. Personally, I think it's probably more likely showing feelings of guilt....but you have to consider that we cannot see what they're feeling. Which, of course, you already know.
Great job spotting their error in thinking!!!