Special Issue "Expression of Emotions: Communication and Welfare Issues"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Human-Animal Interactions, Animal Behaviour and Emotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bertrand L. Deputte
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ENVA (Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort), Ethology
Interests: ethology; social behavior; cognition; communication; primates; dogs; cattle; cats; welfare
Prof. Dr. Caroline Gilbert
E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
ENVA, UMR 7179 laboratoire MECADEV CNRS/MNHN
Interests: behavioural and physiological adaptations of wild species; welfare of domestic animals; personality and stress reactions in domestic animals; human-animal relationship
Dr. Emmanuelle Titeux
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ENVA (Ecole nationale vétérinaire d’Alfort)
Interests: human-animal relationship; repetitive behaviours in companion animals; feeding behaviour disorders in dogs and cats

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

In 1872, Darwin wrote “Expressions of the emotions in man and animals.” Since then, how animals communicate has been a fundamental issue in ethology. A considerable bulk of research has been devoted to analyzing signals, how they are displayed in the context of their production and their function. Analyses of vocalizations, facial mimics and postures have been the topics of many scientific papers especially in birds and nonhuman primates. Communication is a triadic process that comprises a sender, a signal associated to a channel (visual, vocal) and a receiver. 

Unsurprisingly, the sender side of the process has received the most of attention. This involves the analysis of the signals and how they are displayed as well as the context in which they are emitted, in particular the sender's demeanor. These analyses are mainly based on observational studies. How signals are received and processed has received much less attention due to the necessity of an experimental approach, e.g., play-back for studying vocalizations. 

These issues have been largely overlooked in domestic animals, though they are important as they involve both intra-specific and inter-specific interactions. Little research has been devoted to analyzing vocal repertoires and the structures of visual signals. Olfactory signals still require solid data instead of unproven claims. Such works as those of Moran et al. 1981, Fox 1971, Golani 1976, and Beauchamp 1976, for example, are too often ignored or simply unfairly plundered. Moreover, in domestic animals, having a science-based knowledge of the structures and functions of signals is especially important in human-animal interactions as it allows humans to adjust to animals' motivations and emotions. Knowing how animals express their emotions, be it positive or negative, including their pain, is also of paramount importance to be able to evaluate the well-being of animals subjected to different levels of constraint. 

Participants (ethologists, veterinarians) of this issue are invited to provide data related to structures of signals from whatever communicative channels (visual, vocal, olfactory, tactile), as well as to their use in interactions both intra- and inter-specific. Papers devoted to the clarification of concepts related to communicative processes and critical reviews are also welcomed. Data on how animals from a large range of domestic species express their emotions are also invited.

Dr. Bertrand L. Deputte
Prof. Caroline Gilbert
Dr. Emmanuelle Titeux
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Animal Emotion
  • Animal behavior
  • Welfare
  • animals express their emotions
  • Communication signal

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission, see below for planned papers.

Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Animal Signals, Music and Emotional Wellbeing
Authors: Charles T. Snowdon
Affiliation: University of Wisconsin, Madison
Abstract: Animal signals can convey information about the animal’s state, but these signals can also be used to influence the behavior of others through emotional contagion. Music can influence the emotional state of human listeners and has also been used therapeutically with a variety of captive species including pets. However, the successful use of music to influence the wellbeing of animals must be based on an understanding of the natural communication signals of the species including frequency range and tempos. Furthermore, different types of music can induce different emotional states. In this paper, I review work using music to influence animal emotion and behavior and I outline a theory of emotional induction that predicts what types of music stimuli are likely to influence different emotions. I will illustrate this with some examples of animal based music. The use of music to influence the emotional wellbeing of our pets depends on our understanding the communication system of other species and the variety of emotional states that can be induced through music.

Title: Heads and tails : An analysis of a visual signal in cats, Felis catus.
Authors: Deputte, B.L., Jumelet, E., Titeux, E., Gilbert, C.
Affiliation: Ethologie - Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort 7 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort cedex
Abstract: Visual communication involves specific signals. These include the different positions of mobile body elements. We analyzed visual configurations in cats that involved ears and tail. In these configurations we investigated what are the most important elements, ears or tail, or both, in cat-cat and cat-human interactions. We observed a total of 254 between cat interactions within a sample of 29 cats during a total of 100 hours using the « Behavioral dependent onset of sampling » method (Altmann 1974). In addition we sampled 104 cat-human interactions. In cat-cat interactions, we noted the positions of ears and tail for both protagonists as well as the outcome of the interaction, either positive/neutral or negative. In a great majority of the 254 interactions sampled (75,6%), both cats held their tail down. On the contrary ear position appeared to be a critical element predicting the outcome of the interaction. When both partners held their ears erected, the outcome was significantly positive, such as rubbing or close proximity. In all other cases of position of ears in both cats, the outcome was negative – increased distance of the partners. Although the tail does not seem to play a significant role in visual configurations in cat-cat interactions, the « tail-up » display, was important when a cat was approaching a human being and in the vast majority of the cases the cat rubbed itself on human leg(s). Thus we may conclude that humans presence has a particular meaning in the cat's world, probably as the result of a long period of commensalism. It is important for pet owners to understand the signals that cats use with other cats and with humans in order to promote the welfare of cats.

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