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Familiarity-connected or stress-based contagious yawning in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)? Some additional data

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Abstract

The present short note aimed at further exploring data from a recent study showing socially modulated auditory contagious yawning in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Two independent observers further extended the analysis of all video recordings made in the previous study and coded both the number of yawns performed by the dogs and the frequencies or durations of stress-related behaviors exhibited throughout the presentation of familiar and unfamiliar yawns. By showing no significant difference between conditions in the frequencies or durations of the coded behaviors, nor any association between the number of yawns and the frequencies or durations of stress-related behaviors, results raised doubt on the stress-induced yawn hypothesis, thus supporting social modulation. The exact mechanism underlying contagious yawning, however, needs further research.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Elainie Alenkaer Madsen and Tomas Persson for calling attention on the possibility of a stress-related effect underlying the results presented in our previous study on contagious yawning in dogs. Also, we are grateful to Claudio Tennie for his valuable comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciências do Comportamento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Largo Prof. Abel Salazar, 2, 4099-003, Porto, Portugal

    Karine Silva, Joana Bessa & Liliana de Sousa

  2. Ânimas, Avenida Sidónio Pais, 392, r/c Dto., 4100-466, Porto, Portugal

    Karine Silva, Joana Bessa & Liliana de Sousa

Authors
  1. Karine Silva
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  2. Joana Bessa
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  3. Liliana de Sousa
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Correspondence to Karine Silva.

Additional information

Karine Silva and Joana Bessa contributed equally to this work.

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Silva, K., Bessa, J. & de Sousa, L. Familiarity-connected or stress-based contagious yawning in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)? Some additional data. Anim Cogn 16, 1007–1009 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-013-0669-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-013-0669-0

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