摘要：SummaryCertain motion cues like self-propulsion and speed changes allow human and nonhuman animals to quickly detect animate beings. In the current eye-tracking study, we examined whether dogs’ (Canis familiaris) pupil size was influenced by such motion cues. In Experiment 1, dogs watched different videos with normal or reversed playback direction showing a human agent releasing an object. The reversed playback gave the impression that the objects were self-propelled. In Experiment 2, dogs watched videos of a rolling ball that either moved at constant or variable speed. We found that the dogs’ pupil size only changed significantly over the course of the videos in the conditions with self-propelled (upward) movements (Experiment 1) or variable speed (Experiment 2). Our findings suggest that dogs orient toward self-propelled stimuli that move at variable speed, which might contribute to their detection of animate beings.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•We applied eye tracking and pupillometry to study dogs’ animacy perception•Dogs oriented toward self-propelled stimuli that moved at variable speed•Dogs’ pupil size was more variable when presented with these motion cues•Orienting to such motion cues might support dogs’ detection of animate beingsAnimals; Ethology; Cognitive neuroscience; Animal of veterinary interest.
