Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Anim Cogn. 2012 Jan;15(1):57-71. doi: 10.1007/s10071-011-0432-3. Epub 2011 Jul 8.
Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) have been shown to actively initiate triadic communicative interactions by looking at a human partner or by alternating their gaze between the human and an object when being faced with an out-of-reach reward or an unsolvable problem. It has hardly been investigated, however, whether dogs flexibly adjust their human-directed behavior to the actions of their partners, which indicate their willingness and abilities to help them when they are faced with a problem. Here, in two experiments, we confronted dogs-after initially allowing them to learn how to manipulate an apparatus-with two problem situations: with an empty apparatus and a blocked apparatus. In Experiment 1, we showed that dogs looked back at their owners more when the owners had previously encouraged them, independently from the problem they faced. In Experiment 2, we provided dogs with two experimenters and allowed them to learn through an initial phase that each of the experimenters could solve one of the two problems: the Filler re-baited the empty apparatus and the Helper unblocked the blocked apparatus. We found that dogs could learn to recognize the ability of the Filler and spent time close to her when the apparatus was empty. Independently from the problem, however, they always approached the Helper first. The results of the present study indicate that dogs may have a limited understanding of physical problems and how they can be solved by a human partner. Nevertheless, dogs are able to adjust their behavior to situation-specific characteristics of their human partner's behavior.
家犬（Canis familiaris）在面对遥不可及的奖励或无法解决的问题时，会通过注视人类伙伴或在人类和物体之间交替目光，主动发起三方交流互动。然而，很少有人研究家犬是否会根据其伙伴的行为灵活调整其针对人类的行为，这些行为表明其在面对问题时愿意并能够帮助人类。在本研究的两个实验中，我们在最初允许犬类操纵设备后，让它们面对两种问题情境：一种是设备为空，另一种是设备被堵住。在实验 1 中，我们发现，无论犬类面对的问题是什么，当主人之前鼓励过它们时，犬类会更多地回头看主人。在实验 2 中，我们提供了两只实验员，并允许犬类通过初始阶段学习到，每只实验员都可以解决两个问题中的一个：填充者重新给空设备上诱饵，助手则移开堵住设备的障碍物。我们发现，犬类可以学会识别填充者的能力，并在设备为空时在她身边停留。然而，无论问题是什么，犬类总是先接近助手。本研究的结果表明，犬类可能对物理问题及其如何被人类伙伴解决有一定的理解。然而，犬类能够根据其人类伙伴行为的特定情境特征来调整自己的行为。
