 |
| How do you tell if an animal is bored? |
Do animals experience boredom? Those of us who cohabit
with companion animals are generally convinced they do, but science is catching
up.
In a review article(Burn, 2017) looking at boredom in
non-human animals, Charlotte Burn claims that “chronic inescapable boredom is
neither trivial nor benign.”
Burn argues that boredom includes sub-optimal arousal and
aversion to monotony.
She discusses triggers of boredom, like spatially and
temporally monotonous situations, confinement, and its effects - like
frustration, stereotypic behaviour, disengagement and cognitive impairment. We
know that for bored humans, time seems to drag. We know that monotony causes some
individuals to seek novelty, even stimuli they might normally avoid (in humans,
boredom is one factor associated with addiction). Chronic, inescapable boredom
is “extremely aversive”, and under-stimulation can reduce physiological and
behavioural flexibility.
Despite its significant welfare implications, animal boredom
has been neglected by science, which is concerning given that most animals
studied by scientists are confined in relatively barren environments for their
entire lives. Yet we know that to develop neurologically, most animals need
species-appropriate stimulation.
Boredom perhaps has an evolutionary advantage in
motivating animals to seek stimulation and learn. It might even motivate some
animals to leave their homes and seek new territories, or try new foods, or new
behaviours.
Restricted periods of boredom may be helpful in
motivating us to learn. But prolonged, inescapable boredom has negative
effects, including damage to the central nervous system (the brain can
literally shrink).
Environmental enrichment may alleviate boredom, but only
if the enrichment is perceived as stimulating and relevant to the animal.
Burn’s article documents significant evidence that
boredom exists in animals. She summarises various studies which highlight
potential indicators of boredom (for example preference tests, escape
behaviour, negative cognitive bias), indicators of sub-optimal arousal in
humans and animals (for example, decreased HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal)
and SAM (sympathetic-adrenomedullary) activity, and EEG (electroencephalographic)
patterns) and other indicators including time perception, disrupted sleep, and
abnormal, repetitive behaviours.
Some may consider the study of boredom to be a bit of a “luxury”
compared to study of other established animal welfare problems like pain and
stress. Burn does not agree.
She writes: “Given the intense distress that prolonged
boredom can cause in humans, and the cognitive damage to which under-stimulation
can ultimately lead, it is potentially a severe and highly prevalent animal
welfare issue neglected too long.”
There is a need, she argues, for scientists to
investigate the biological basis for boredom, and to evaluate techniques and
strategies to combat boredom in humans and in animals.
The implications for anyone housing animals are huge.
That includes people working in laboratories, zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, farms
and companion animal owners. Which species are most susceptible to boredom? How
do we ensure that confined animals experience appropriate stimulation for their
development? Which interventions can offset boredom?
This is a paper worth reading in full. In terms of
companion animals there are a number of ways we can offset boredom. Interacting
with them in a meaningful way – whether it’s going for a walk, engaging in
training, petting or grooming, providing appropriate environmental enrichment
or even companionship with their own species can all help to offset boredom.
Different animals at different stages in their
development may require different
types and levels of stimulation.
Reference
BURN, C. C. 2017.
Bestial boredom: a biological perspective on animal boredom and suggestions for
its scientific investigation. Animal
Behaviour, 130, 141-151.
