Emotions and cognitive abilities in farm animals
2007
Fratric, N., Fakultet veterinarske medicine, Beograd (Serbia) | Kirovski, N., Fakultet veterinarske medicine, Beograd (Serbia) | Hristov, S., Poljoprivredni fakultet, Beograd - Zemun (Serbia)
One of the major topics of applied ethology is the welfare of animals reared by humans. Welfare can be defined as a state of harmony between an individual and its environment. It is now widely accepted that good welfare is not simply the absence of negative experiences, but rather in primarily the presence of positive experiences such as pleasure. In humans, verbal language helps to assess emotional experiences. In animals, only behavioural and physiological measurements help to detect emotions. How to interpret these responses in terms of emotional experience remains an open question. The information on he cognitive abilities of farm animals, which are available but scattered, could help the understanding of their emotions. Many authors propose a behavioural approach based on cognitive psychology. Emotions can be investigated in farm animals in terms of the individuals appraisal of the situation. This evaluative process depends on: 1) the intrinsic characteristics of the eliciting event; 2) the degree of conflict of that event with the individuals needs or expectations; and 3) the individuals coping possibilities offered by the environment.
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