Dogs vs Monkeys

A recent study on the ability of animals to judge fairness yielded the following results:

24 dogs were selected that were willing to perform the trick of lifting a paw in response to the command, "paw." The 24 were then paired off into groups of two. Researchers used two different food type rewards: a bowl of sausage for one dog and a bowl of brown bread for the other. Each dog was rewarded with one of the treats, in view of the other. The research showed that dogs did not care if they received the bread or the sausage, as long as they received a reward for the trick.

However, if the researchers rewarded one dog with a treat, and not the other, the dog who did not receive the treat would refuse to participate, and often refused to make eye contact, by turning the head away.

When the same study was performed with monkeys, monkeys refused to participate not only if they did not receive a treat, but also if they did not receive the preferred treat received by the other monkey. A further study placed the preferred treat in sight of the monkeys, but did not offer it to either one, offering a lesser treat instead. If the monkeys could see the preferred treat, but could not receive it, they refused to participate.

The second study was not performed with the canine group, as the dogs had shown that the type of treat did not matter, as long as a reward was given.