Dog Emotion and Cognition

Duke University

About this Course

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Dog Emotion and Cognition will introduce you to the exciting new study of dog psychology, what the latest discoveries tell us about how dogs think and feel about us, and how we can use this new knowledge to further strengthen our relationship with our best friends.

Learner Career Outcomes

45%

started a new career after completing these courses

32%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

12%

got a pay increase or promotion

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 22 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, Croatian

Skills you will gain

Cognitive ScienceEvolutionAnimal BehaviorDog

Learner Career Outcomes

45%

started a new career after completing these courses

32%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

12%

got a pay increase or promotion

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 22 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English, Spanish, Croatian

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.77/5 (356 Ratings)

Brian Hare

Associate Professor

Evolutionary Anthropology

161,286 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

Duke University

Duke University has about 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-class faculty helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The university has a strong commitment to applying knowledge in service to society, both near its North Carolina campus and around the world.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(30,061 ratings)

Week

Week 1

11 minutes to complete

Course Information

Dog Emotion and Cognition is a course designed to introduce the exciting new science of dog psychology to any level of dog enthusiast. In learning about dogs you will be introduced to evolutionary and cognitive theory, learn about experimental methodology, see how dogs compare to other species, and even have the chance to try some of the cognitive games you learn about with your own dog. The course is a great introduction to the field of animal cognition and animal behavior but is also relevant to anyone interested in human evolution or even dog training. When you finish you will think about your dog in a new way, will be ready to apply your new knowledge, and will be prepared to take higher level classes in the evolutionary or cognitive sciences.

11 minutes to complete

1 video (Total 1 min), 1 reading

1 video

Introduction to Dog Emotion and Cognition37s

1 reading

FAQs10m

Week

Week 2

3 hours to complete

The Paradox of a Best Friend That Evolved From Our Worst Enemy

This module will provide an introduction to cognitive psychology and evolution, while having direct application to your dog. At the beginning of each lecture, Dr. Hare will suggest an optional reading from his book The Genius of Dogs, as well as free Dognition games to play at www.dognition.com/mooc. Dr. Hare discusses how our evolutionary relationship with dogs is a puzzle. He describes the meaning of cognition and what it looks like with modern research on animals. Last, he discusses what Dognition is and how can be used like a laboratory for the class.

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 41 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes

5 videos

Introduction8m

The Paradoxical Canine8m

Cognition Defined10m

Dognition, Part 16m

Dognition, Part 26m

4 readings

Introduction Slide10m

The Paradoxical Canines: Lecture Slides10m

What is Cognition: Lecture Slides10m

Dognition: Lecture Slides10m

4 practice exercises

Review: The Paradoxical Canine30m

Review: Cognition Defined30m

Review: Dognition30m

Module Quiz: Cognition Through the Ages30m

Week

Week 3

4 hours to complete

How Biology Studies Cognitive Evolution

In this module, Dr. Hare describes how the internal processes of the mind are studied through experiments. He explains how animal problem solving is best explained as scientists work toward better understanding the topic. Next, he describes the ecological approach to cognition through an evolutionary lens, which involves Tinbergen's four levels of analysis.

4 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 67 min), 4 readings, 5 quizzes

10 videos

Why Experiments, Part 16m

Why Experiments, Part 28m

Why Experiments, Part 33m

Ecological Approach to Evolution, Part 18m

Ecological Approach to Evolution, Part 28m

Ecological Approach to Cognition, Part 17m

Ecological Approach to Cognition, Part 28m

Theory of Mind, Part 14m

Theory of Mind, Part 25m

Theory of Mind, Part 35m

4 readings

Why Experiments: Lecture Slides10m

Ecological Approach to Evolution: Lecture Slides10m

Ecological Approach to Cognition: Lecture Slides10m

Theory of Mind: Lecture Slides10m

5 practice exercises

Review: Why Experiments?30m

Review: Ecological Approach to Evolution30m

Review: Ecological Approach to Cognition30m

Review: Theory of Mind30m

Module Quiz: How Biology Studies Cognitive Evolution30m

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Dogs Are Cognitively Remarkable

In this module, Dr. Hare describes how dogs are cognitively remarkable. He begins by explaining theory of mind, which, when viewed through the ecological approach, suggests that social problem solving drove primate and human cognitive evolution. Next, he describes how good dogs are at understanding communicative intentions, especially compared to apes. Dr. Hare has three hypotheses to explain the remarkable communication found in domestic dogs.

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 35 min), 2 readings, 3 quizzes

5 videos

Communicative Intentions, Part 17m

Communicative Intentions, Part 27m

Communicative Intentions, Part 37m

Origins of Dog Sociality, Part 16m

Origins of Dog Sociality, Part 25m

2 readings

Communicative Intentions: Lecture Slides10m

Origins of Dog Sociality: Lecture Slides10m

3 practice exercises

Review: Communicative Intentions30m

Review: Origins of Dog Social Cognition30m

Module Quiz: Dogs are Cognitively Remarkable30m

Week

Week 5

4 hours to complete

Evolutionary Accidents and Survival of the Friendliest

In this module, Dr. Hare explores three of his research studies he's done with foxes, New Guinea Singing Dogs, as well as research on wolves. He describes how early dog-wolves may actually be a product of natural selection rather than artificial selection, contrary to popular belief. He introduces a hypothesis called Survival of the Friendliest, which may explain how dogs, bonobos, and modern species evolved in contrast to close relatives, such as wolves and chimpanzees. Last, he relates the high level of social tolerance of these species to human by looking at human self-domestication.

4 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 63 min), 4 readings, 5 quizzes

9 videos

Discovering Domestication, Part 17m

Discovering Domestication, Part 28m

Discovering Domestication, Part 37m

Artificial vs Self-Domestication, Part 16m

Artificial vs Self-Domestication, Part 27m

Ape Self- Domestication, Part 17m

Ape Self-Domestication, Part 27m

Human Self-Domestication, Part 14m

Human Self-Domestication, Part 25m

4 readings

Discovering Domestication: Lecture Slides10m

Artificial vs Self-Domestication: Lecture Slides10m

Ape Self-Domestication: Lecture Slides10m

Human Self-Domestication: Lecture Slides10m

5 practice exercises

Review: Discovering Domestication30m

Review: Artificial versus Self-Domestication30m

Review: Ape Self-Domestication30m

Review: Human Self-Domestication30m

Module Quiz: Evolutionary Accidents and Survival of the Friendliest30m

Week

Week 6

3 hours to complete

Problems That Dogs Can and Cannot Solve

In this module, you will learn about the genius of dogs. Brilliant examples of the canine mind will be explored. Dogs seem to be capable of inferential reasoning using the "principle of exclusion" as well as learning new words by imitating humans. Next, Dr. Hare discusses dog's abilities to understand physical problem solving compared to other species (hint, this isn't most dog's strong suit). Last, he will discuss how dogs are not cooperative breeders, do have a relaxed social system, and are excellent hunting companions for humans.

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 55 min), 3 readings, 4 quizzes

8 videos

Dog Social Explosion, Part 18m

Dog Social Explosion, Part 27m

Dog Social Explosion, Part 38m

Physical Cognition Explosion, Part 16m

Physical Cognition Explosion, Part 25m

Dog Cooperation, Part 17m

Dog Cooperation, Part 26m

Dog Cooperation, Part 34m

3 readings

Dog Social Explosion: Lecture Slides10m

Physical Cognition Explosion: Lecture Slides10m

Dog Cooperation: Lecture Slides10m

4 practice exercises

Review: Dog Cognition Explodes: Understanding the Social World30m

Review: Dog Cognition Explodes: Understanding the Physical World30m

Review: Dog Cooperation30m

Module Quiz: Problems That Dogs Can and Cannot Solve30m

Week

Week 7

4 hours to complete

Finding Your Dog's Genius

In this module, Dr. Hare will discuss the common myths of breed differences and what research (including citizen science Dognition data) has actually been done to understand potential differences between breeds. You will also listen to Dr. Hare debunk "aggressive dog breed" stereotypes by learning about the literature and studies that have been done on dog aggression. He poses an interesting question about the actual culprit for the dog aggression problem, which is not even a dog! Next, he will explain how important understanding dog cognition is to training strategies. Dr. Hare will discuss how, unfortunately, not all cultures love dogs, and some see them as food and pests. He suggests ways that humans can live with dogs for mutual benefit. Taking all that you've learned into account, Dr. Hare then discusses how Dognition is revolutionizing what we know about dogs and how beneficial it could be to your relationship with your dog as well as for science!

4 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 63 min), 6 readings, 4 quizzes

10 videos

Breed Differences, Part 14m

Breed Differences, Part 25m

Dog Aggression, Part 16m

Dog Aggression, Part 29m

Teaching Genius, Part 16m

Teaching Genius, Part 27m

Teaching Genius, Part 35m

Dog's Best Friend8m

Citizen Science6m

Dognition Report2m

6 readings

Breed Differences: Lecture Slides10m

Dog Aggression: Lecture Slides10m

Teaching Genius: Lecture Slides10m

Dog's Best Friend: Lecture Slides10m

Citizen Science: Lecture Slides10m

Dognition Report: Lecture Slides10m

4 practice exercises

Review: Breed Differences in Cognition?30m

Review: Dog Aggression30m

Review: Teaching Genius30m

Module Quiz: Finding your Dog's Genius30m

Week

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Final Exam

The final exam covering topics from all modules.

1 hour to complete

1 practice exercise

Final Exam30m

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Is financial aid available?
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Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

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Dog Emotion and Cognition