维也纳大学研究团队在《iScience》期刊发表的最新研究表明，狗不仅能够识别人类的情绪，而且能够将恐惧、愤怒和悲伤等不同的负面表情区分开来 [1]。研究人员通过脑部扫描技术，首次在神经影像层面证实了这一能力 [1]。
该项研究分两个阶段进行：第一阶段有8只狗观看人类面部表情照片，第二阶段有12只狗在接受脑扫描过程中观看这些表情 [1]。研究发现，当狗看到快乐表情时，其大脑的颞叶皮层和尾状核会变得活跃，这些区域与高阶认知处理和奖励相关 [1]。这些结果表明狗对人类情绪的理解程度远超之前的科学认知。
研究第一作者Raúl Hernández-Pérez指出："人类非常擅长捕捉脸上的细微特征，狗也是如此" [1]。参与研究的Laura Cuaya强调："我希望人们将狗视为情感生灵。它们与我们共同进化，以理解我们的表情并与我们合作" [1]。
Researchers at the University of Vienna have discovered that dogs possess the neurological capacity to differentiate between distinct human emotions, according to a study published on August 7, 2026, in the journal iScience by Cell Press [1]. Brain imaging revealed that when dogs observe human facial expressions, different emotional states activate specific regions of their brains, providing the first direct evidence that canines can distinguish fear, anger, and sadness [1].
The investigation involved two phases: in the initial stage, eight dogs viewed photographs of human faces, followed by brain scans of twelve dogs in the second phase [1]. When presented with happy expressions, the dogs' temporal cortex and caudate nucleus showed heightened activity, regions associated with higher cognitive processing and reward [1]. Lead researcher Raúl Hernández-Pérez noted that "Humans are really good at picking up small details on the face, and so are dogs" [1].
Co-author Laura Cuaya emphasized the broader significance of these results, stating: "I would like people to see dogs as emotional beings. They have evolved with us to understand our expressions and cooperate with us" [1]. The research was conducted collaboratively by teams from the University of Vienna, Mexico's National Autonomous University, and Roland University in Hungary [1].