Many dog owners believe that their pets understand and respond not only to commands such as “sit” and “stay there,” but also to phrases indicating their favorite things such as “bring me the ball.”
However, science has had difficulty determining whether dogs and other pets actually activate their mental image when they hear the name of something, something that might suggest a deeper understanding of language similar to the kind that humans have.
However, a new study conducted in Hungary by Eötvös Lorand University in Budapest concludes that in addition to the ability to respond to commands, dogs can learn to associate words with specific objects, a connection with a type of cognition that has not yet been demonstrated in dogs.
Details of the scientific study
The study included 18 dogs and a non-invasive procedure to detect brain electricity using electrodes attached to the dogs’ heads to measure brain activity and record its waves.
The dog owners participating in the study played an audio clip and then showed the dogs something.
The researchers measured the dogs' brain activity when the object in the recording matched the displayed object, as well as when it differed.
The study found a different brain pattern when dogs were presented with something that matched the word, compared to when this was not the case, indicating that the animals conjured a mental image of something based on hearing the word corresponding to it.
What did the study authors say?
“When we talk about things, they are external to dogs, and dogs have to learn that words stand for something external to them,” said Mariana Burros, a cognitive neuroscientist and study co-author.
• “We expected that if the dog really understood the meaning of the word that refers to the object, he would expect to see that object,” Boros explained. “If the owner showed a different image, there would be what is called a startle reaction in the brain. And that is exactly what we found.”
• Leila Magyari, also an expert in cognitive neuroscience and co-author of the study, said that while other animals have been shown to have some degree of language perception, those animals are usually highly trained to do so.
• According to Magyari, the results show that such abilities appear to be innate in dogs and do not require special training or talent.
• According to Magyari, the study supports theories of language evolution that say this type of cognition “is not necessarily limited to humans.”