Human empathy extends to dogs: Individuals with strong empathy interpret canine facial expressions more intensely. A recent study investigated how empathy and psychological factors influence perceptions of facial images from dogs and humans. For the first time, it shows that our ability to share feelings shapes how we read dogs' expressions.
Prior research indicated that people with high emotional empathy evaluate human expressions faster, more accurately, and intensely. With dogs, however, this may lead to over-interpretation. As one researcher noted, "Empathy accelerates and intensifies assessments of canine facial expressions, but accuracy remains unreliable."
Humans perceive happy faces as more joyful in other people than in dogs, possibly due to a bias toward our own species or challenges in recognizing canine happiness. Experienced dog trainers, however, rate dogs' happy expressions as happier than others do.
