Dogs can identify truth and falsehood: Research

Ground Report | New Delhi: Dogs Can Identify Truth; A new study has found that dogs can sometimes tell when people are lying to them. It refers to a mechanism that emphasizes that sensitivity to the views of others is not limited to primates (humans, monkeys, or other animals of this species).

During the study, which also involved researchers from the University of Vienna, 260 dogs of different breeds were analyzed. Dogs were taught to follow the advice of an unknown person in choosing one of two bowls, which contained something for the dogs. The dogs first got the thing by following the man's advice. Scientists then mixed things up and added another human to the experiments.

The other man transferred what was in one bowl to another. In some experiments, the other person was not present during the transfer of the cups, but he advised the dogs which bowl they should go to. Meanwhile, researchers observed whether the dogs changed their behavior.

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Dogs Can Identify Truth and Falsehood

According to the results published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, half of the dogs observed ignored human advice when they saw them pointing at the wrong bowl. This shows that they knew this when they were being lied to.

When the other man was not present and the cups were changed, the dogs then simply ignored the wrong advice. When similar experiments have been performed on humans, monkeys and chimpanzees under the age of five in the past, scientists have found that children and other animals follow the advice of liars more than dogs.

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The researchers wrote: "As a result, our study provides the first empirical evidence that dogs can distinguish between truth and falsehood when it comes to relocation." Scientists believe that in the absence of any training, pet dogs can not only provide humans with a wide range of information but also their intentions and beliefs.

However, researchers say more research is needed on mental control in any situation from a human communication perspective. This will help dogs better understand the process of potential thinking when they are making a decision. Scientists also believe that in the future, dogs will be able to test their evolutionary ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

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