A Case for the Interspecies Transfer of Emotions: A Preliminary Investigation on How Humans Odors Modify Reactions of the Autonomic Nervous System in Horses.
Abstract: We examined the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) activity of horses in response to human body odors (BOs) produced under happy and fear states. The ANS response of horses was analyzed in terms of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) features extracted in the frequency domain. Our results revealed that human BOs induce sympathetic and parasympathetic changes and stimulate horses emotionally, suggesting interspecies transfer of emotions via BOs. These preliminary findings open the way to measure changes in horse's ANS dynamics in response to human internal states via human BOs, and allow us to better understand unexpected animal behavior that could compromise human-horse interaction. Moreover, it becomes possible to design more effective strategies to manage animals across a range of situations in which a strict humananimal interaction is required, such as the well known Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).
Publication Date: 2018-11-18 PubMed ID: 30440449DOI: 10.1109/EMBC.2018.8512327Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research examines the effects of human body odors, specifically associated with happiness and fear, on horses’ Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) reactions. It suggests that body odors may carry emotional information that could influence the behavior of horses, a phenomenon referred to as interspecies transfer of emotions.
Research Method
- The study was conducted by analyzing the reactions of horses to the body odors of humans experiencing different emotional states. These states included emotions of happiness and fear, and the reactions were measured by examining changes in the horses’ Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).
- An important measure used in the study was Heart Rate Variability (HRV), which provides an indication of the activity of nervous system. By observing changes in the HRV of horses, the researchers could assess whether the body odors of humans were influencing the horses in any significant way.
Major Findings
- The results of the research indicated that human body odors do indeed have an impact on horses’ ANS, suggesting the existence of an interspecies transfer of emotions. This means that the emotional state of a human, reflected in his or her body odor, can influence a horse’s emotional state.
- Notably, the study found that body odors produced under states of happiness and fear induced sympathetic and parasympathetic changes in the horses, indicating emotional stimulation.
Implications
- This preliminary research opens up new possibilities for understanding unexpected animal behavior, particularly in situations where there is significant human-horse interaction. Such understanding could be helpful in managing animal behavior in various contexts, from equestrian sports to therapy.
- Specifically, it opens up potential avenues for more effective management of interactions in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), where understanding the emotional dynamics between humans and animals is critical for therapeutic success.
- Further research in this area could also contribute to better practices in areas such as animal training, animal care and species conservation.
Cite This Article
APA
Lanata A, Nardelli M, Valenza G, Baragli P, DrAniello B, Alterisio A, Scandurra A, Semin GR, Scilingo EP.
(2018).
A Case for the Interspecies Transfer of Emotions: A Preliminary Investigation on How Humans Odors Modify Reactions of the Autonomic Nervous System in Horses.
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc, 2018, 522-525.
https://doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2018.8512327 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animal Assisted Therapy
- Animals
- Autonomic Nervous System / physiology
- Emotions
- Heart Rate
- Horses / physiology
- Humans
- Odorants
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Roberts SC, Třebická Fialová J, Sorokowska A, Langford B, Sorokowski P, Třebický V, Havlíček J. Emotional expression in human odour.. Evol Hum Sci 2022;4:e44.
- D'Aniello B, Pinelli C, Scandurra A, Di Lucrezia A, Aria M, Semin GR. When are puppies receptive to emotion-induced human chemosignals? The cases of fear and happiness.. Anim Cogn 2023 Jul;26(4):1241-1250.
- Leconstant C, Spitz E. Integrative Model of Human-Animal Interactions: A One Health-One Welfare Systemic Approach to Studying HAI.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:656833.
- Grigg EK, Liu S, Dempsey DG, Wong K, Bain M, Sollers JJ, Haddock R, Kogan LR, Barnhard JA, Tringali AA, Thigpen AP, Hart LA. Assessing the Relationship Between Emotional States of Dogs and Their Human Handlers, Using Simultaneous Behavioral and Cardiac Measures.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:897287.
- Sabiniewicz A, Białek M, Tarnowska K, Świątek R, Dobrowolska M, Sorokowski P. A Preliminary Investigation of Interspecific Chemosensory Communication of Emotions: Can Humans (Homo sapiens) Recognise Fear- and Non-Fear Body Odour from Horses (Equus ferus caballus).. Animals (Basel) 2021 Dec 8;11(12).
- Grigg EK, Ueda Y, Walker AL, Hart LA, Simas S, Stern JA. Comparative Assessment of Heart Rate Variability Obtained via Ambulatory ECG and Polar Heart Rate Monitors in Healthy Cats: A Pilot Study.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:741583.
- Merkies K, Franzin O. Enhanced Understanding of Horse-Human Interactions to Optimize Welfare.. Animals (Basel) 2021 May 9;11(5).
- Calvi E, Quassolo U, Massaia M, Scandurra A, D'Aniello B, D'Amelio P. The scent of emotions: A systematic review of human intra- and interspecific chemical communication of emotions.. Brain Behav 2020 May;10(5):e01585.
- Scopa C, Contalbrigo L, Greco A, Lanatà A, Scilingo EP, Baragli P. Emotional Transfer in Human-Horse Interaction: New Perspectives on Equine Assisted Interventions.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Nov 26;9(12).
- Semin GR, Scandurra A, Baragli P, Lanatà A, D'Aniello B. Inter- and Intra-Species Communication of Emotion: Chemosignals as the Neglected Medium.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Oct 31;9(11).
- Henriksson J, Sauveroche M, Roth LSV. Effects of size and personality on social learning and human-directed behaviour in horses (Equus caballus).. Anim Cogn 2019 Nov;22(6):1001-1011.
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