The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process
Play fighting, the most iconic form of social play, is often punctuated by specific signals, such as the relaxed open mouth (ROM) display, limiting the risk of misunderstanding between playmates. Although there is general consensus that the ROM of dogs is a ritualized version of play biting, the emp...
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1164797 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.015 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347222000835 |
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ftunivpisairis:oai:arpi.unipi.it:11568/1164797 2024-06-23T07:52:01+00:00 The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process Veronica Maglieri Anna Zanoli Fosca Mastrandrea Elisabetta Palagi Maglieri, Veronica Zanoli, Anna Mastrandrea, Fosca Palagi, Elisabetta 2022 STAMPA https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1164797 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.015 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347222000835 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000798501700007 volume:188 firstpage:65 lastpage:74 numberofpages:10 journal:ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1164797 doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.015 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85129468826 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347222000835 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Czechoslovakian wolfdog DogFACS Levenshtein distance metacommunication play asymmetry play signal info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2022 ftunivpisairis https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.015 2024-06-03T23:51:29Z Play fighting, the most iconic form of social play, is often punctuated by specific signals, such as the relaxed open mouth (ROM) display, limiting the risk of misunderstanding between playmates. Although there is general consensus that the ROM of dogs is a ritualized version of play biting, the empirical demonstration of the actual ritualization of ROM has been lacking. We videorecorded and analysed 118 playful sessions involving 24 Czechoslovakian wolfdogs (12 females; 12 males), which is a breed of domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, showing wolf-like behavioural traits. By using an integrated approach of different techniques (dog facial action coding system, an unsupervised cluster analysis and the Levenshtein distance), we empirically demonstrate that the ROM is intrinsically different from the play biting action in this breed of dog. Contrary to the play bite, during ROM, the recruitment of muscular action units for each facial display was more consistent, conspicuous and intra- and interindividually stereotyped. Moreover, a sequential analysis revealed that the ROM usually preceded playful offensive patterns, thus underlining the real metacommunicative function of the signal. Finally, by running a linear mixed model, we found that the most balanced sessions were punctuated by the most prolonged performance of ROM, thus revealing the efficiency of the facial signal in maintaining a balanced session. In conclusion, through the processes of formalization, simplification and emphasis, an ordinary precursor behaviour (i.e. play biting) has been taken out of context and transformed into an extraordinary, derived behaviour (i.e. ROM) specifically designed to attract receivers' attention and modulate playful social interactions in dogs. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa Animal Behaviour 188 65 74 |
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Open Polar |
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ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa |
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ftunivpisairis |
language |
English |
topic |
Czechoslovakian wolfdog DogFACS Levenshtein distance metacommunication play asymmetry play signal |
spellingShingle |
Czechoslovakian wolfdog DogFACS Levenshtein distance metacommunication play asymmetry play signal Veronica Maglieri Anna Zanoli Fosca Mastrandrea Elisabetta Palagi The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process |
topic_facet |
Czechoslovakian wolfdog DogFACS Levenshtein distance metacommunication play asymmetry play signal |
description |
Play fighting, the most iconic form of social play, is often punctuated by specific signals, such as the relaxed open mouth (ROM) display, limiting the risk of misunderstanding between playmates. Although there is general consensus that the ROM of dogs is a ritualized version of play biting, the empirical demonstration of the actual ritualization of ROM has been lacking. We videorecorded and analysed 118 playful sessions involving 24 Czechoslovakian wolfdogs (12 females; 12 males), which is a breed of domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, showing wolf-like behavioural traits. By using an integrated approach of different techniques (dog facial action coding system, an unsupervised cluster analysis and the Levenshtein distance), we empirically demonstrate that the ROM is intrinsically different from the play biting action in this breed of dog. Contrary to the play bite, during ROM, the recruitment of muscular action units for each facial display was more consistent, conspicuous and intra- and interindividually stereotyped. Moreover, a sequential analysis revealed that the ROM usually preceded playful offensive patterns, thus underlining the real metacommunicative function of the signal. Finally, by running a linear mixed model, we found that the most balanced sessions were punctuated by the most prolonged performance of ROM, thus revealing the efficiency of the facial signal in maintaining a balanced session. In conclusion, through the processes of formalization, simplification and emphasis, an ordinary precursor behaviour (i.e. play biting) has been taken out of context and transformed into an extraordinary, derived behaviour (i.e. ROM) specifically designed to attract receivers' attention and modulate playful social interactions in dogs. |
author2 |
Maglieri, Veronica Zanoli, Anna Mastrandrea, Fosca Palagi, Elisabetta |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Veronica Maglieri Anna Zanoli Fosca Mastrandrea Elisabetta Palagi |
author_facet |
Veronica Maglieri Anna Zanoli Fosca Mastrandrea Elisabetta Palagi |
author_sort |
Veronica Maglieri |
title |
The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process |
title_short |
The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process |
title_full |
The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process |
title_fullStr |
The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process |
title_full_unstemmed |
The relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating Tinbergen's ritualisation process |
title_sort |
relaxed open mouth is a true signal in dogs: demonstrating tinbergen's ritualisation process |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1164797 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.015 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347222000835 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000798501700007 volume:188 firstpage:65 lastpage:74 numberofpages:10 journal:ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1164797 doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.015 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85129468826 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347222000835 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.015 |
container_title |
Animal Behaviour |
container_volume |
188 |
container_start_page |
65 |
op_container_end_page |
74 |
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1802643196978659328 |