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Cited by 1,486Animal Behavior and Welfare StudiesHuman-Animal Interaction StudiesVeterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia

Assessment of positive emotions in animals to improve their welfare

Boissy, Alain, Manteuffel, Gerhard, Jensen, Margit Bak, Moe, Randi Oppermann, Spruijt, Berry, Keeling, Linda J., Winckler, Christoph, Forkman, Björn +5 more·2007·Physiology & Behavior
DOI 10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.02.003
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Abstract

It is now widely accepted that good welfare is not simply the absence of negative experiences, but rather is primarily the presence of positive experiences such as pleasure. However scientific investigation of positive emotions has long been neglected. This paper addresses two main issues: first, it reviews the current state of scientific knowledge that supports the existence of positive affective states in animals and, second, it suggests possible applications of this knowledge that may enhance quality of life under animal management conditions. In the first part of the paper, recent advances in psychology and neuroscience are reviewed to provide pragmatic frameworks based on cognitive processes (such as positive anticipation, contrast and controllability) for further investigations of positive emotions in animals. Thereafter, the neurobiological bases of positive emotions are highlighted in order to identify behavioral and physiological expressions of positive experiences in animals. Monitoring both the autonomic nervous system (via heart rate and its variability) and the immune system could offer relevant tools to better assess emotional states in animals, complementary to classical adrenocortical measures. In the second part of the paper, useful strategies for enhancing positive experiences (such as physical, social and cognitive enrichment or putative genetic selection) are outlined. Then this paper emphasizes practical applications for assessing and promoting positive e…

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.02.003

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257 of 257 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Contact with visitors may be threatening for little penguins, as reduced preening in the water suggests, since preening is a comfort behaviour more likely to occur when animals are not threatened.

    “The reduced preening in the water also suggests that contact with visitors may be threatening for little penguins since preening behaviour is a comfort behaviour that is more likely to occur when animals are not threatened [47,48,49,50].”

    From Effect of Covering a Visitor Viewing Area Window on the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) (2020) · cites this paper as [50]

  • Affiliative interactions in social species may be associated with physiological and affective states associated with good welfare.

    “Likewise, an increase in affiliative interactions could signal that the birds’ welfare is being improved by offering encounters, as affiliative interactions in social species may be associated with physiological and affective states associated with good welfare, e.g., [22,23,24].”

    From Evaluating the Behavior and Temperament of African Penguins in a Non-Contact Animal Encounter Program (2019) · cites this paper as [22]

  • Exploratory, play and affiliative behaviours have been used as indicators of positive welfare states.

    “In contrast, exploratory, play and affiliative behaviours have been used as indicators of positive welfare states [45,47].”

    From The visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare (2019) · cites this paper as [45]

  • Given that play behaviour is considered an indicator of positive animal welfare, it is possible that Diana monkeys were positively stimulated by visitors.

    “Given that play behaviour is considered an indicator of positive animal welfare [45], it is possible that this group of monkeys was also positively stimulated by visitors.”

    From The visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare (2019) · cites this paper as [45]

  • Animals having the ability to self-maintain is one method of measuring psychological wellbeing and the presence of positive emotions in animals.

    “Animals having the ability to self-maintain is one method of measuring psychological wellbeing and the presence of positive emotions in animals [78].”

    From The Concept of Agency, Animal Wellbeing, and the Practical Realities of Ex Situ Breeding Programs in Zoos and Aquariums (2024) · cites this paper as [78]

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Authors
Boissy, A., Manteuffel, G., Jensen, M. B., Moe, R. O., Spruijt, B., Keeling, L. J., Winckler, C., Forkman, B., Dimitrov, I., Langbein, J., Bakken, M., Veissier, I., & Aubert, A.
Affiliations
  • Unité Mixte de Recherche sur les Herbivores (FR)
  • Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) (DE)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • Utrecht University (NL)
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
  • BOKU University (AT)
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NO)
  • Université de Tours (FR)
Corresponding author
Boissy, Alain
ORCID
Venue
Physiology & Behavior
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2007-10
Volume
92
Issue
3
Pages
375-397
ISSN
0031-9384 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.02.003
OpenAlex
W2148137175
Cited by
1,486
References
262
Citations by year
2026: 92 · 2025: 105 · 2024: 107 · 2023: 129 · 2022: 103 · 2021: 102 · 2020: 121 · 2019: 92 · 2018: 81 · 2017: 93 · 2016: 77 · 2015: 71 · 2014: 79 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 45
FWCI
6.33
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Physiology & Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia
Keywords
positive emotions, animal welfare, positive affective states, controllability, positive contrast, affective neuroscience, heart rate variability, autonomic nervous system, immune system, enrichment, genetic selection, play behavior, affiliative behavior, vocalizations, welfare analysis, laboratory animals, livestock
MeSH terms
Animals, Animal Welfare, Behavior, Animal, Emotions

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