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Interactional reciprocity in human–dog interaction

  • Mika Simonen and Hannes Lohi
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Intersubjectivity in Action
This chapter is in the book Intersubjectivity in Action

Abstract

This chapter explores the potential existence of interactional reciprocity in human–dog interactions by analyzing experimental data on situations where dog owners fail to produce reciprocally modified actions for two minutes. We found that their dogs soon realized the strangeness of the situation. While they pursued missing feedback with touch, gaze and vocalizations, they also addressed other humans and requested their attention. Therefore, the dogs oriented to the lack of reciprocity and attempted to repair it. We demonstrate that interactional reciprocity in human–dog interactions can be breached, thus proving its existence. Moreover, we show that it also returned when the experiment ended. The findings are compared with mother–infant experiments where evidence of interactional reciprocity has also been found.

Abstract

This chapter explores the potential existence of interactional reciprocity in human–dog interactions by analyzing experimental data on situations where dog owners fail to produce reciprocally modified actions for two minutes. We found that their dogs soon realized the strangeness of the situation. While they pursued missing feedback with touch, gaze and vocalizations, they also addressed other humans and requested their attention. Therefore, the dogs oriented to the lack of reciprocity and attempted to repair it. We demonstrate that interactional reciprocity in human–dog interactions can be breached, thus proving its existence. Moreover, we show that it also returned when the experiment ended. The findings are compared with mother–infant experiments where evidence of interactional reciprocity has also been found.

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