{"id":{"repo_id":"holar","oai_identifier":"oai:skemman.is:1946/34343"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/holar/oai:skemman.is:1946/34343","repository":{"repo_id":"holar","name":"Hólar University College","base_url":"https://skemman.is/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Recognition of Human Facial Expressions of Emotion in the Domestic Horse (Equus caballus)","abstract":"n this experiment positive reinforcement was used to teach horses to select photos of either angry (n=2) or happy (n=2) human facial expressions as opposed to a neutral expression of the same individual. At the end of the experiment, two horses were operating at an accuracy level significantly above chance: one from the group assigned to angry faces (χ2 = 25, p<.001) and one from the group assigned to happy faces (χ2 = 7.84, p=.005). However the other horses from both angry face (χ2 = 0.16, p= 0.689) and happy face (χ2 = 0, p=1) groups did not exceed chance levels and they were considered to have not learned the task. A finding that even one horse operates significantly above chance indicates that the cognitive skill is within the capacity of the species. Therefore, it is suggested that horses can discriminate between neutral human facial expressions and facial expressions of emotion. However, as only a few horses reached discrimination, alongside the length of time it took, demonstrates that horses are likely not highly sensitive to differences in facial expression. More research is needed to either support or refute this finding. However, if the finding stands, the result raises interesting questions concerning the mechanics of this differentiation, including whether this ability is innate or learned. It further carries practical importance for horse welfare and management.","abstract_html":"n this experiment positive reinforcement was used to teach horses to select photos of either angry (n=2) or happy (n=2) human facial expressions as opposed to a neutral expression of the same individual. At the end of the experiment, two horses were operating at an accuracy level significantly above chance: one from the group assigned to angry faces (χ2 = 25, p&lt;.001) and one from the group assigned to happy faces (χ2 = 7.84, p=.005). However the other horses from both angry face (χ2 = 0.16, p= 0.689) and happy face (χ2 = 0, p=1) groups did not exceed chance levels and they were considered to have not learned the task. A finding that even one horse operates significantly above chance indicates that the cognitive skill is within the capacity of the species. Therefore, it is suggested that horses can discriminate between neutral human facial expressions and facial expressions of emotion. However, as only a few horses reached discrimination, alongside the length of time it took, demonstrates that horses are likely not highly sensitive to differences in facial expression. More research is needed to either support or refute this finding. However, if the finding stands, the result raises interesting questions concerning the mechanics of this differentiation, including whether this ability is innate or learned. It further carries practical importance for horse welfare and management.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Caeli Elizabeth Peters Cavanagh 1992-"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Háskólinn á Hólum"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-09-04T08:17:09Z","date_published":"2019-09-04T08:17:09Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:56:59Z","subjects":["Hestafræði","Hestar","Vitsmunasálfræði","Svipbrigði"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1946/34343","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Háskólinn á Hólum"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Caeli Elizabeth Peters Cavanagh 1992-"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2019-09-04T08:17:09Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2019-09-04T08:17:09Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2019-09-04T08:17:09Z"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Hestafræði","Hestar","Vitsmunasálfræði","Svipbrigði"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1946/34343"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["n this experiment positive reinforcement was used to teach horses to select photos of either angry (n=2) or happy (n=2) human facial expressions as opposed to a neutral expression of the same individual. At the end of the experiment, two horses were operating at an accuracy level significantly above chance: one from the group assigned to angry faces (χ2 = 25, p<.001) and one from the group assigned to happy faces (χ2 = 7.84, p=.005). However the other horses from both angry face (χ2 = 0.16, p= 0.689) and happy face (χ2 = 0, p=1) groups did not exceed chance levels and they were considered to have not learned the task. A finding that even one horse operates significantly above chance indicates that the cognitive skill is within the capacity of the species. Therefore, it is suggested that horses can discriminate between neutral human facial expressions and facial expressions of emotion. However, as only a few horses reached discrimination, alongside the length of time it took, demonstrates that horses are likely not highly sensitive to differences in facial expression. More research is needed to either support or refute this finding. However, if the finding stands, the result raises interesting questions concerning the mechanics of this differentiation, including whether this ability is innate or learned. It further carries practical importance for horse welfare and management.","Í þessari rannsókn var jákvæð styrking notuð til þess að kenna hestunum að velja myndir af annað hvort reiðum (n=2) eða glaðlegum (n=2) svipbrigðum í staðinn fyrir hlutlaus svipbrigði sömu manneskju. Í lok rannsóknarinnar völdu tveir hestar rétta mynd yfir marktæknimörkum: einn úr hópnum valdi oftar reiðan svip (χ2 = 25, p<.001) og einn úr hópnum ánægðan svip (χ2 = 7.84, p=.005). Hinir hestarnir völdu bæði reiðan svip (χ2 = 0.16, p= 0.689) og ánægðan svipur (χ2 = 0, p=1), voru ekki yfir marktæknimörkum og töldust ekki vera búnir að læra verkefnið. Uppgötvunin um að einum hesti hafi tekist að vinna yfir marktæknimörkum gefur til kynna að vitsmunalegir hæfileikar hans geti þýtt að tegundin geti það líka. Þar af leiðandi er ályktað að hestar geti gert upp á milli hlutlausra svipbrigða og tilfinningalegra svipbrigða hjá manneskjum. Þrátt fyrir það tókst aðeins fáum einstaklingum að læra að gera upp á milli svipbrigðanna og eins hve langan tíma það tók að kenna þeim það, sýnir fram á að hestar eru ekki mjög næmir fyrir mismunandi svipbrigðum hjá fólki. Fleiri rannsókna er þörf til að styðja eða hrekja staðhæfinguna. Ef ályktunin stenst vekur hún upp áhugaverðar spurningar varðandi það hvort þessi eiginleiki að greina á milli svipbrigða sé eðlislægur eða lærður. Sú vitneskja er líka verulega mikilvægt fyrir notkun og velferð hrossanna."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Recognition of Human Facial Expressions of Emotion in the Domestic Horse (Equus caballus)"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Háskólinn á Hólum"],"dc:creator":["Caeli Elizabeth Peters Cavanagh 1992-"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2019-09-04T08:17:09Z"],"dc:date.available":["2019-09-04T08:17:09Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2019-09-04T08:17:09Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["n this experiment positive reinforcement was used to teach horses to select photos of either angry (n=2) or happy (n=2) human facial expressions as opposed to a neutral expression of the same individual. At the end of the experiment, two horses were operating at an accuracy level significantly above chance: one from the group assigned to angry faces (χ2 = 25, p<.001) and one from the group assigned to happy faces (χ2 = 7.84, p=.005). However the other horses from both angry face (χ2 = 0.16, p= 0.689) and happy face (χ2 = 0, p=1) groups did not exceed chance levels and they were considered to have not learned the task. A finding that even one horse operates significantly above chance indicates that the cognitive skill is within the capacity of the species. Therefore, it is suggested that horses can discriminate between neutral human facial expressions and facial expressions of emotion. However, as only a few horses reached discrimination, alongside the length of time it took, demonstrates that horses are likely not highly sensitive to differences in facial expression. More research is needed to either support or refute this finding. However, if the finding stands, the result raises interesting questions concerning the mechanics of this differentiation, including whether this ability is innate or learned. It further carries practical importance for horse welfare and management.","Í þessari rannsókn var jákvæð styrking notuð til þess að kenna hestunum að velja myndir af annað hvort reiðum (n=2) eða glaðlegum (n=2) svipbrigðum í staðinn fyrir hlutlaus svipbrigði sömu manneskju. Í lok rannsóknarinnar völdu tveir hestar rétta mynd yfir marktæknimörkum: einn úr hópnum valdi oftar reiðan svip (χ2 = 25, p<.001) og einn úr hópnum ánægðan svip (χ2 = 7.84, p=.005). Hinir hestarnir völdu bæði reiðan svip (χ2 = 0.16, p= 0.689) og ánægðan svipur (χ2 = 0, p=1), voru ekki yfir marktæknimörkum og töldust ekki vera búnir að læra verkefnið. Uppgötvunin um að einum hesti hafi tekist að vinna yfir marktæknimörkum gefur til kynna að vitsmunalegir hæfileikar hans geti þýtt að tegundin geti það líka. Þar af leiðandi er ályktað að hestar geti gert upp á milli hlutlausra svipbrigða og tilfinningalegra svipbrigða hjá manneskjum. Þrátt fyrir það tókst aðeins fáum einstaklingum að læra að gera upp á milli svipbrigðanna og eins hve langan tíma það tók að kenna þeim það, sýnir fram á að hestar eru ekki mjög næmir fyrir mismunandi svipbrigðum hjá fólki. Fleiri rannsókna er þörf til að styðja eða hrekja staðhæfinguna. Ef ályktunin stenst vekur hún upp áhugaverðar spurningar varðandi það hvort þessi eiginleiki að greina á milli svipbrigða sé eðlislægur eða lærður. Sú vitneskja er líka verulega mikilvægt fyrir notkun og velferð hrossanna."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1946/34343"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:subject":["Hestafræði","Hestar","Vitsmunasálfræði","Svipbrigði"],"dc:title":["Recognition of Human Facial Expressions of Emotion in the Domestic Horse (Equus caballus)"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:56:59Z"}