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How two word-trained dogs integrate pointing and naming
Susanne Grassmann1, Juliane Kaminski, Michael Tomasello
1Department of Developmental Psychology, Heymans Institute, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, Groningen, The Netherlands. s.grassmann@rug.nl
Animal Cognition
|April 25, 2012
Summary
Dogs integrate pointing and naming for word reference, prioritizing names when conflicting. They initially approach pointed-to objects before fetching named items, suggesting pointing is a spatial directive.
Area of Science:
- Animal cognition
- Canine behavior
- Primatology
Background:
- Understanding how animals interpret communicative cues is crucial for deciphering interspecies communication.
- Dogs' ability to learn object names and respond to human gestures offers insights into their cognitive processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether word-trained dogs integrate pointing and naming cues to identify object referents.
- To determine how dogs resolve conflicts between pointing gestures and established object-name associations.
Main Methods:
- Two word-trained dogs were presented with referential communication acts involving pointing, naming, or both.
- Researchers analyzed the dogs' choices and behaviors when cues were congruent and when they conflicted.
Main Results:
- Dogs successfully used co-reference of pointing and naming when cues aligned with prior word knowledge.
- When pointing and naming conflicted, dogs prioritized fetching the named object.
- Despite prioritizing named objects, dogs initially approached the pointed-to object in conflict scenarios.
Conclusions:
- Word-trained dogs integrate pointing as a spatial directive within the context of object-fetching tasks.
- Dogs demonstrate flexibility in interpreting communicative cues, balancing gesture information with existing lexical knowledge.
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