New study shows dogs can detect deception

In a new study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a team of researchers at the University of Vienna found that dogs have the ability to tell when their human companions are lying to them.

Humans have been observed assessing the mental health of others. People, for example, determine the truthfulness of others based on various clues. The researchers wondered if the same could be said for dogs. They conducted simple experiments with 260 dog volunteers of various breeds to find out.

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In the experiments, all of the dogs were taught to choose between two bowls containing a hidden treat based on the advice of an unknown human. By following the advice, they received the treat.

The researchers then jumbled things up. They let the dogs watch as another unidentified human moved the treat from one bowl to another while a second unidentified human looked on; in some cases, the second human was not present during the switch-up.

To see if the dogs would continue to follow the advice, the researchers repeated the experiment with the dogs and the second person in the switch-up.

When the person was not present when the bowls were switched, the dogs ignored the human advice because they knew the person didn’t know which bowl had the treat.

But, more importantly, half of the dogs disobeyed human advice when they could see from the observation that the human was pointing to the wrong bowl—evidence that the dogs were aware that the humans were deceiving them.

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The researchers noted that previous researchers had conducted the same experiments on humans under the age of five, macaques, and chimps.

In those experiments, children and other animals were far more likely than dogs to follow the obvious liar’s advice over what they knew to be true.

They believe this demonstrates that the dogs were less trusting of the unknown human providing the advice.

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