PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
This review discusses how welfare scientists can examine vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of individual animals. In recent years, researchers working in professionally managed settings have recognized the value of monitoring the types, rates, and acoustic structures of calls, which may reflect various aspects of welfare. Fortunately, recent technological advances in the field of bioacoustics allow for vocal activity to be recorded with microphones, hydrophones, and animal-attached devices (e.g., collars), as well as automated call recognition. We consider how vocal behavior can be used as an indicator of affective state, with particular interest in the valence of emotions. While most studies have investigated vocal activity produced in negative contexts (e.g., experiencing pain, social isolation, environmental disturbances), we highlight vocalizations that express positive affective states. For instance, some species produce vocalizations while foraging, playing, engaging in grooming, or interacting affiliatively with conspecifics. This review provides an overview of the evidence that exists for the construct validity of vocal indicators of affective state in non-human mammals. Furthermore, we discuss non-invasive methods that can be utilized to investigate vocal behavior, as well as potential limitations to this line of research. In the future, welfare scientists should attempt to identify reliable, valid species-specific calls that reflect emotional valence, which may be possible by adopting a dimensional approach. The dimensional approach considers both arousal and valence by comparing vocalizations emitted in negative and positive contexts. Ultimately, acoustic activity can be tracked continuously to detect shifts in welfare status or to evaluate the impact of animal transfers, introductions, and changes to the husbandry routine or environment. We encourage welfare scientists to expand their welfare monitoring toolkits by combining vocal activity with other behavioral measures and physiological biomarkers.
摘要：
这篇评论讨论了福利科学家如何检查发声以深入了解单个动物的情感状态。近年来,在专业管理环境中工作的研究人员已经认识到监控类型的价值，rates,和呼叫的声学结构，这可能反映了福利的各个方面。幸运的是,生物声学领域的最新技术进步允许用麦克风记录人声活动，水听器,和动物附着设备(例如，项圈),以及自动呼叫识别。我们考虑如何将声音行为用作情感状态的指标，对情绪的效价特别感兴趣。虽然大多数研究都调查了在负面环境下产生的声乐活动(例如，经历疼痛,社会孤立,环境干扰)，我们强调表达积极情感状态的发声。例如,有些物种在觅食时会发声，玩耍,从事美容，或与特定物种有联系地互动。这篇综述概述了非人类哺乳动物情感状态的声音指标的结构有效性的证据。此外，我们讨论了可以用来调查声音行为的非侵入性方法，以及对这一研究领域的潜在限制。在未来,福利科学家应该试图找出可靠的，反映情感效价的有效物种特异性呼叫，这可以通过采用维度方法来实现。维度方法通过比较负面和正面环境中发出的发声来考虑唤醒和效价。最终,可以连续跟踪声学活动，以检测福利状况的变化或评估动物转移的影响，介绍,以及畜牧业常规或环境的变化。我们鼓励福利科学家通过将声音活动与其他行为措施和生理生物标志物相结合来扩展其福利监测工具包。
