So, can animals experience or display emotions?

[wizzo]

Oh and Jason.....anthro-a-what? Great word, what does it mean?

[wizzo]

Cracking Gallery by the way Claire!

[stigofthedump]

Not too sure about this one. What do we define as emotion? Just asked a few of my family and it seems we have differing views on what it actually means.
Does a dog wagging its tail and getting excited when its master comes home mean its happy or just that its programmed to greet its pack members in such a way?
Love, malice, cruelty etc etc are all human traits as I see it.
Pain,fear and parental consideration are instinct.



Vince

[posie]

Hi Wizzo, interesting thread...With regards to 'Hate'being shown by animals.....One of my Welsh Cobs HATES any other horse that I give any attention to,some will say that it is jelousy,or insecurity, or survival,etc, but believe me when she turns her back on the other horse and attempts to give it both barrels and goes 'mental' it certainly LOOKS like HATE to me, but hate brought on by the aforesaid emotions/feelings.I suppose you could also say that she ifeels that she is feeling threatened. so we have a sequence...........1)the original act(by me in this case) 2) she feels threatened by what she sees because it makes her feel 3)insecure, (her survival is threatened)..........She then 4) attacks.... Now, as she has all these very valid reasons for feeling the need to drive away this threat to her survival I should not call it hate. I've read that all animal behavior is based on it's contribution to the survival of the species. Sorry I've gone on a bit, got carried away there.Do you agree with the survival (of the species) theory?

[Jason Claxton]

Originally Posted by wizzo

Oh and Jason.....anthro-a-what? Great word, what does it mean?

Anthropocentric means with a human bias(man-centric) in this case,but anthropomorphism means attributing human characteristics ,changing something into something human i.e human emotions are like animals,anthropomorphism would perhaps be more relevant here though Wizzo.It kind of means our interpretation of things are coloured by the fact we are human in one way.

[stigofthedump]

Hi Posie. yes you are right in essence, there is no alternative for your cob. In its mind its almost like a dichotomous key, 1 suppress all acknowledgement of the situation = displacement activity. 2 fight or flight. No emotion shown just basic instinct.


Vince

[posie]

Got it... and don't you think that we really are the same , because when we feel a painful emotion it is our wish to get rid of this feeling we have as a result of the emotion, because we also have a desire to 'survive' and it may be that this is also contribution to 'survival of the species' possibly a primal memory (or even genetic memory)

[Garden Carpet]

I would have to say that dogs and cats certainly are capable of expressing love etc. My Jack Russell cross comes to me.. and others she loves.. and puts her head on the chest just below the chin and sighs in contentment. It is wonderful to sit like this with my chin on the top of her head 'communing' She doesnt want anything.. just a little love.

Out in the car one day she saw across the road an elderly couple with the lady in a wheel chair. Not someone I knew but it clearly reminded her of something as she scratched at the car window and cried. Unfortunately I wasn't able to stop. She is a rescue dog and I have a theory she was previously owned by an elderly person, perhaps someone who sat all day with her on the lap.

I could go on.. but I will spare you hehe.

jaki

[wizzo]

Very interesting Posie and Vince. I wonder if human emotions are based on anything more complex though, or is it that we just have the ability to understand what we are experiencing. Feelings of hate or love are very immotive emotions. Someone said recently that there is not much difference between the two. We sometimes confuse infatuation with love. Someone screaming at their pop idle may interpret that emotion as true love whilst others would say it's impossible to love someone you don't know. I often say I hate Jordon, but in reality, how can I? I've never met her. I hate her image. I don't know if our reaction to a bad situation is real rage or anger or the same as the fight or flight theory. Are we just enraged at being placed in that situation and faced with no other alternative, we react. When we are free of the danger, out rage or hatred subsides. Then again though, there are people that look for this conflict or danger. Maybe that makes us unique or different from most animals. I've just realised that I'm waffling, so I'll apologise and get to bed now! My head hurts

[wizzo]

Jaki, that's kind of sad isn't it. Shame you couldn't have stopped and found out. As I'm writing, I've just remembered the story of Greyfriers Bob. I won't bore you with it now because I expect that most people have read the story or seen the film, but awwwwww!