Pigs Respond Emotionally to Positive | Negative Environments

GreenTracker| Research around the lives of animals and also human relationships with research findings is moving on multiple fronts. Last week we reported that even when aware of new findings about the emotional states of animals, people disassociate the findings, when sitting down to the dinner table. Perhaps we employ a version of the “not in my back yard” philosophy of life. (Note: Anne is not a vegetarian but increasingly concerned about the food she eats.)

Today’s new research on pig emotions was conducted in England, where researchers drew definite conclusions that — like people — pigs respond favorably to novelty in a safe, nurturing environment and become visibly upset with the same foreign novelty in a negative one. 

“We found that almost without exception, the pigs in the enriched environment were optimistic about what this new noise could mean and approached expecting to get the treat,” she said. “In contrast, the pigs in the boring environment were pessimistic about this new strange noise and, fearing it might be the mildly unpleasant plastic bag, did not approach for a treat. Read on at Science Daily