I am no expert, but I truly believe that they can sense a lot of different things. I not only believe they can tell when you are happy or sad, they know when you aren't feeling well or depressed. From what I have seen, SpiceE's mood mimics not only mine, but the "vibe" of the household. It is fairly noticable. One thing it does do for me is remind me of my mood and when I need to change it