6 ms·

Mothers’ brains show similar responses to her baby and her dog

27 points by Libertatea 12y ago

yarrel 12y ago
Dogs are excellent hackers.
- 67726e 12y ago
  On the internet, no one knows you're a dog...
smokey_the_bear 12y ago
I have two dogs, that we've had for 6 and 7 years. I also have a 2 year old and a baby. I don't love the dogs anywhere near as much as I used to, pre-baby.
- GuiA 12y ago
  I dated a girl a while back whose older sister + her husband had a dog. They loved her, played with her every day, walked her every weekend, etc. Then they had two kids. Now the dog is locked out in a cage in the yard of which it rarely gets out, and its sole human contact is getting fed twice a day and maybe fetching a ball 20 minutes then and now. It's really sad.
dustyreagan 12y ago
This is interesting, but I wonder what the results would be if you compared the dog, and baby, to your best friend. In other words, I wonder if the dog would have closer matching results to the baby, or the friend.
Xcelerate 12y ago
I always find it interesting when people say "I love my dog/cat as much as people love their children!" This always prompts me to ask them "Would you die for your dog?", in which case the inevitable two second hesitation that follows and horror-struck look on their face answers my question. (Then again, there's a lot of people that wouldn't die for their kids either...) I think that people can certainly form emotional connections to pets (I like cats myself), but biologically, there's a special attachment to humans. I mean, there's regions of the brain dedicated to specifically differentiating between human faces.
- boohoofoodoo 12y ago
  To answer your question, yes! I would say with less reservation then most humans I know but I would not truly know until placed in a life threatening situation if I could follow through on my conviction.
  - paxcoder 12y ago
    That's idiotic (though I'm sure you wouldn't follow through), but it explains the results in the article.
    - pessimizer 12y ago
      That people care about something that you can't relate to more than their own lives isn't a sign of stupidity, it's a sign of other people having different values than you.
      - paxcoder 12y ago
        A claim motivated by askew morality may be objectively and self-evidently wrong.
    - boohoofoodoo 12y ago
      Lack of intelligence and or sensibility has nothing to do with this, it is decision based on the relationship I share with my dogs, I am their 'pack leader', a bond created from their unconditional trust and love. Like any good relationship to survive, their needs to be a strong mutual commitment, in this case, they would unquestionable give their lives to protect their pack and myself. From the comfort of safe reflection, I truly believe I would do the same for them. Besides my immediate family and my dogs, I am not sure I can say I would make that sacrifice for anyone else.
      - paxcoder 12y ago
        You are equating your own worth to that of your animals, based on a role they've instinctly assigned to you. Forgive me, but I'd appreciate if you'd spare me any further explanations and attempts at justifications.
sunjain 12y ago
I have 6 yr old and a dog. Dog i've had for little more than a yr. There is a running joke in the house that - if there is a fire in the house, and I can only save one - I will save dog first and then kid. I think it has to do with innocence..kids have that pure innocence(at least until they are 6/7 yrs old), and dogs the same...there is no hidden motives, no long term agenda...they are just interested in play... interested in whatever is going on in the moment. And this is what attracts us.
- pawn 12y ago
  I have a 3 year old niece who plots my demise not unlike Stewey from Family Guy. She's so much more ornery than her older brother and sister are/were.
AdmiralAsshat 12y ago
The results of the study shouldn't be surprising. The traits which we breed for in our domesticated pets--big eyes, round forehead, pudgy cheeks--these are traits that make them look "cute," but many of them (sans things like fluffiness) ultimately make them resemble babies. That's why we find them cute. To boot, we breed them to be tinier, more docile, and more affectionate towards us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny
- ubercore 12y ago
  I believe those features arise as a side-effect of domestication, they're not the actual goal of domestication. In the silver fox experiment, things like floppy ears arose without being specifically selected for. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_silver_fox http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_silver_fox
  - dazmax 12y ago
    I wouldn't say floppy ears and mottled fur are baby-like.
thret 12y ago
This is why if you accidentally injure or kill (say with your car) a cat or a dog, you need to treat the situation as though it is a child. The legal ramifications are wildly different but the emotional hurt you have caused a family is at least similar and should be handled with respect and compassion.
ozy23378 12y ago
Le Reddit army has arrived! xD

27 points by Libertatea 12y ago

yarrel 12y ago

Dogs are excellent hackers.

67726e 12y ago
On the internet, no one knows you're a dog...

smokey_the_bear 12y ago

I have two dogs, that we've had for 6 and 7 years. I also have a 2 year old and a baby. I don't love the dogs anywhere near as much as I used to, pre-baby.

GuiA 12y ago
I dated a girl a while back whose older sister + her husband had a dog. They loved her, played with her every day, walked her every weekend, etc. Then they had two kids. Now the dog is locked out in a cage in the yard of which it rarely gets out, and its sole human contact is getting fed twice a day and maybe fetching a ball 20 minutes then and now. It's really sad.

dustyreagan 12y ago

This is interesting, but I wonder what the results would be if you compared the dog, and baby, to your best friend. In other words, I wonder if the dog would have closer matching results to the baby, or the friend.

Xcelerate 12y ago

I always find it interesting when people say "I love my dog/cat as much as people love their children!" This always prompts me to ask them "Would you die for your dog?", in which case the inevitable two second hesitation that follows and horror-struck look on their face answers my question. (Then again, there's a lot of people that wouldn't die for their kids either...) I think that people can certainly form emotional connections to pets (I like cats myself), but biologically, there's a special attachment to humans. I mean, there's regions of the brain dedicated to specifically differentiating between human faces.

boohoofoodoo 12y ago
To answer your question, yes! I would say with less reservation then most humans I know but I would not truly know until placed in a life threatening situation if I could follow through on my conviction.
- paxcoder 12y ago
  That's idiotic (though I'm sure you wouldn't follow through), but it explains the results in the article.
  - pessimizer 12y ago
    That people care about something that you can't relate to more than their own lives isn't a sign of stupidity, it's a sign of other people having different values than you.
    - paxcoder 12y ago
      A claim motivated by askew morality may be objectively and self-evidently wrong.
  - boohoofoodoo 12y ago
    Lack of intelligence and or sensibility has nothing to do with this, it is decision based on the relationship I share with my dogs, I am their 'pack leader', a bond created from their unconditional trust and love. Like any good relationship to survive, their needs to be a strong mutual commitment, in this case, they would unquestionable give their lives to protect their pack and myself. From the comfort of safe reflection, I truly believe I would do the same for them. Besides my immediate family and my dogs, I am not sure I can say I would make that sacrifice for anyone else.
    - paxcoder 12y ago
      You are equating your own worth to that of your animals, based on a role they've instinctly assigned to you. Forgive me, but I'd appreciate if you'd spare me any further explanations and attempts at justifications.

sunjain 12y ago

I have 6 yr old and a dog. Dog i've had for little more than a yr. There is a running joke in the house that - if there is a fire in the house, and I can only save one - I will save dog first and then kid. I think it has to do with innocence..kids have that pure innocence(at least until they are 6/7 yrs old), and dogs the same...there is no hidden motives, no long term agenda...they are just interested in play... interested in whatever is going on in the moment. And this is what attracts us.

pawn 12y ago
I have a 3 year old niece who plots my demise not unlike Stewey from Family Guy. She's so much more ornery than her older brother and sister are/were.

AdmiralAsshat 12y ago

The results of the study shouldn't be surprising. The traits which we breed for in our domesticated pets--big eyes, round forehead, pudgy cheeks--these are traits that make them look "cute," but many of them (sans things like fluffiness) ultimately make them resemble babies. That's why we find them cute. To boot, we breed them to be tinier, more docile, and more affectionate towards us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny

ubercore 12y ago
I believe those features arise as a side-effect of domestication, they're not the actual goal of domestication. In the silver fox experiment, things like floppy ears arose without being specifically selected for. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_silver_fox http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_silver_fox
- dazmax 12y ago
  I wouldn't say floppy ears and mottled fur are baby-like.

thret 12y ago

This is why if you accidentally injure or kill (say with your car) a cat or a dog, you need to treat the situation as though it is a child. The legal ramifications are wildly different but the emotional hurt you have caused a family is at least similar and should be handled with respect and compassion.

ozy23378 12y ago

Le Reddit army has arrived! xD