Everyone loves when people speak in a softer tone, and animals are no exception.
Most people know that pets understand human intonations, but it seems that other domesticated animals understand voice tones as well.
Let's find out more on how it was discovered.
Animals understand us better than you might think
Animals, like horses, pigs, and wild horses, can tell the difference between positive and negative sounds from their own species and even from human speech.
The study suggests that the way we speak to animals affects their emotional state, providing insights into their emotional development and raising questions about their level of consciousness and emotional life.
The researchers found that domesticated pigs and horses, as well as Asian wild horses, reacted differently to emotionally charged sounds, both from their own kind and from humans.
Even when exposed to human speech in a language they didn't understand, the animals responded to the emotional tone.
Why it's important to know
The study hints at the possibility of "emotional contagion" in animals, where they mirror the emotions expressed by others, showing the first step in empathy.
The researchers suggest that understanding how animals react to our speech can not only raise ethical questions but also be used to improve animal welfare by influencing their emotional states positively.
