Researchers have discovered that oxytocin, the 'love hormone' linked to affection and trust, plays a pivotal role in human-dog interactions. It draws dogs to smiling faces and reduces the perceived threat of angry ones.
In a controlled study, dogs viewed 43 images of smiling and angry human faces on a screen. Each dog participated twice: once after receiving oxytocin and once without. An eye-tracking device measured their gaze direction and pupil dilation, providing insights into their emotional responses and attention—key indicators of cognitive processing in canines.
Dogs naturally prioritize salient features, like threats in high-stakes scenarios, for survival. Under oxytocin's influence, they showed greater interest in smiling faces over angry ones, with pupil size reflecting a more positive emotional state.
Without oxytocin, dogs' pupils dilated most when viewing angry faces, signaling strong emotional arousal. With oxytocin, smiling faces elicited even greater positive responses, suggesting the hormone diminishes threat perception and heightens appeal of happy expressions.
