Animal Emotions and Consciousness: Researchers' Perceptions, Biases, and Prospects for Future Progress.

ABSTRACT: Do animals have emotions? Scientists and philosophers have long struggled with this question, with debates ranging from whether animals experience an "internal world" to whether we are capable of studying it. Recently, theoretical, and methodological advances have rekindled this debate, yet, it is unclear where the scientific consensus on these topics lies today. To address this gap, we administered a survey of professional animal behavior researchers to assess perceptions regarding (1) the taxonomic distribution of emotions and consciousness in non-human animals, (2) respondents' confidence in this assessment, and (3) attitudes towards potential for progress and possible pitfalls when addressing these questions. In general, animal behavior researchers (n=100) ascribed emotionality and con

SUBMITTER: Zipple MN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10638804 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature