13% of people understand facial expressions of cats — scientists
Specialists from the Canadian University of Guelph believe that cats have their own facial expressions. But people still do not know how to recognize it
Facial expressions of cats are available for understanding only 13% of people. But scientists do not lose hope that this figure can be increased over time.
The study, conducted by scientists from the Canadian University of Guelph, was attended by 6329 volunteers from 85 countries. Most of them are cat owners. Participants watched short excerpts from films, mainly collected on Youtube, and filled out online questionnaires that described the mood of the animals, RIA Novosti reported.
In the commercials there were animals that showed both positive and negative emotions. When they caressed, treated or teased, angry. Fragments were taken out of context. The participants of the experiment were shown only the faces of cats.
Most people could not determine by the animal's facial expressions his true mood at a given time. They tried to guess what cats really feel.
Only 13% of respondents were able to answer quite accurately. And this means that they were able to catch the mood of the animal by a slight twitching of the eyelids or a slight expansion of the eyes.
“Cats tell us something with their facial expressions, and really experienced people can notice it,” the words of one of the authors of the study, Georgia Mason, are quoted in a university press release. “Perhaps, and vice versa,” they initially understood animals better, so they became veterinarians. In any case, their example shows that this can be learned.”
Facial expressions of cats are available for understanding only 13% of people. But scientists do not lose hope that this figure can be increased over time.
The study, conducted by scientists from the Canadian University of Guelph, was attended by 6329 volunteers from 85 countries. Most of them are cat owners. Participants watched short excerpts from films, mainly collected on Youtube, and filled out online questionnaires that described the mood of the animals, RIA Novosti reported.
In the commercials there were animals that showed both positive and negative emotions. When they caressed, treated or teased, angry. Fragments were taken out of context. The participants of the experiment were shown only the faces of cats.
Most people could not determine by the animal's facial expressions his true mood at a given time. They tried to guess what cats really feel.
Only 13% of respondents were able to answer quite accurately. And this means that they were able to catch the mood of the animal by a slight twitching of the eyelids or a slight expansion of the eyes.
“Cats tell us something with their facial expressions, and really experienced people can notice it,” the words of one of the authors of the study, Georgia Mason, are quoted in a university press release. “Perhaps, and vice versa,” they initially understood animals better, so they became veterinarians. In any case, their example shows that this can be learned.”
