"Don't look into his eyes..."

Science 17 April 2015 pp. 274, 280 $ 333

"Don't look into his eyes," I often warn passersby of Al. "That's how they control our minds."

It's true.
So these idiot scientists have figured out that the mutual eye-gazing behavior between dog & human raises oxytocin (neuropeptide that mediates affiliative behavior) levels in both -- hijacking humans' bonding mechanism -- something anybody with a puppy could've told them 100,000 years ago.

"Thag, look. Puppie kyoot. Oxytocin go up..."

Includes an article on dog domestication with a stunning photo of a >12,000 y.o. human skeleton buried with a puppy in its arms.

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Linda on May 4, 2015 at 10:36pm

So it took scientific research to figure out that looking into those big brown eyes makes us bond with our dogs? Wonder how much money they wasted on that.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Wolff on May 5, 2015 at 2:09am

Interesting fact: it does not work with wolves, even wolves who've been raised as pups with humans.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frances P Moloney on May 5, 2015 at 10:54am

Does Scientific research also explain the primitive human reflex that reaches for the treat jar, when under the influence of said eyes, even though higher level cerebral thinking knows that achonroplasiac specimen arranged around said eyes should have a limited calorie count.....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Wolff on May 5, 2015 at 1:13pm

I have done some informal research on this:

bear cans are not corgi-proof

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Denis J. on May 12, 2015 at 8:07am

Apparently, another millions of $$$ similar research by top scientists whom have post poned their work on the world energy crisis, have discovered that cuddling your child infant, having good eye contact and generally be nurturing will increase the bond between parent and child. Who knew??

I thought that parking children in front of television and not interacting with your dogs would generally create this love effect... Who knew?

Welcome to Sarcasm Tuesday everyone... :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Wolff on May 15, 2015 at 3:07pm

"Tactile interaction between humans and dogs increases peripheral oxytocin concentrations in both humans and dogs" (Nagasaw et al., Science 348:6232 17April2015 p.333-336).

Translation: "Dogs like to be petted. Humans like to pet dogs."