Validation of higher-level abilities for exchange with others in dogs.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K18658
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 10:Psychology and related fields
• Research Institution: Azabu University
• Principal Investigator: Nagasawa Miho 麻布大学, 獣医学部, 准教授 (70533082)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 菊水 健史 麻布大学, 獣医学部, 教授 (90302596)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: イヌ / 家畜化 / 交換 / ホルモン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify whether canine exchange behavior is based on an understanding of the value of objects for themselves and for others. We further hypothesized that dogs' exchange behavior is the outgrowth of cognitive cooperative behavior based on endocrine changes during the domestication process. The experimental results showed that the duration to finish exchange varied depending on the value of the item to be exchanged. However, no clear trend emerged in the behavior of dogs depending on the value of the object for the human exchange partner. In contrast, the duration for exchange behavior was negatively correlated with the age of the dogs, and positively correlated with the urinary oxytocin concentration. These results indicate that experience and the internal environment are involved in the understanding of the value of items and the way of interacting with the partner in exchange behavior.

Free Research Field

動物行動学、比較認知学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒト社会をより大きく発展させたのは、自集団内での情動的な結びつきを越え、他集団との交流を可能とした認知的な価値判断に基づいた広範な協力行動であり、その代表的な行動が「交換」である。本研究では、ヒトと同様に寛容性による選択圧を受け進化し、日常的にヒトと物の交換を行っているイヌが、自他の価値理解の上に交換を行っているかどうかを明らかにすることを目的に行っている。イヌとヒトの間の交換行動が価値の理解のもとに、内分泌の制御によって行われていることを明らかにすることは、ヒト社会においても、情動による分断を脱し、認知的つながりによる持続可能で発展的な社会の構築への糸口となることが期待される。