The study of facial micro-expressions in domestic animals
(Canis lupus familiaris)
Description:Micro-expressions are facial movements expressed less than 500 milliseconds. They are associated with different emotions as disgust, anger, joy, etc. Micro-expressions are not under our voluntary control so these expressions cannot be simulated, which is not the case with long lasting facial expressions (Bhatnagar et al., 2016). It is interesting to analyse them because they could givedifferent information. Up to now, micro expressionshave been explored a lot in humans but a few in non-human animals.
This internship aims to investigate whether dogs have or not some facial micro-expressions, and if they express them according to a socio-cognitive context. A first step will be to make a literature review in humans on facial expressions and micro-expressions,and then a comparison in domesticated animals (dogs and horses). This comparison will be completeduring the internship with the data analysed. The person will participate to the protocol setup and recordings, and then to the data and statistical analysis.
This investigation could be compared with another one done on horses, by another person during the same time period.
Time:6 months, between January and July
Requested profile: We are searching for a person in second year of amaster’s degree, interested in human-animal relationship, who had some experienceswith dogs. The person should know how to study animal behaviour, dogs’ one preferentially.
Contact: Sophie PELLON, sophie.pellon@ulb.ac.be, Faculty of Medecine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (BELGIUM)
(Canis lupus familiaris)
Description:Micro-expressions are facial movements expressed less than 500 milliseconds. They are associated with different emotions as disgust, anger, joy, etc. Micro-expressions are not under our voluntary control so these expressions cannot be simulated, which is not the case with long lasting facial expressions (Bhatnagar et al., 2016). It is interesting to analyse them because they could givedifferent information. Up to now, micro expressionshave been explored a lot in humans but a few in non-human animals.
This internship aims to investigate whether dogs have or not some facial micro-expressions, and if they express them according to a socio-cognitive context. A first step will be to make a literature review in humans on facial expressions and micro-expressions,and then a comparison in domesticated animals (dogs and horses). This comparison will be completeduring the internship with the data analysed. The person will participate to the protocol setup and recordings, and then to the data and statistical analysis.
This investigation could be compared with another one done on horses, by another person during the same time period.
Time:6 months, between January and July
Requested profile: We are searching for a person in second year of amaster’s degree, interested in human-animal relationship, who had some experienceswith dogs. The person should know how to study animal behaviour, dogs’ one preferentially.
Contact: Sophie PELLON, sophie.pellon@ulb.ac.be, Faculty of Medecine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (BELGIUM)