Human affiliative responses to companion animal vocalizations

This study investigates how humans affiliate with animals’ experiences and emotional states when faced with an animal vocalization in everyday interaction. Multimodal interaction analysis is used to study vocal, bodily and verbal actions and reactions of humans, horses, dogs and cats. The analysis shows humans treat animal vocalizations as meaningful actions, often as signs of affect, that mobilize affiliation and subsequent actions in the next turn. Human responses to animal vocalizations include tokens of surprise or sympathy, verbalizations of emotions, and suggested solutions to problems. The study is part of the inclusive linguistic paradigm, aiming at showing how understanding across species boundaries is achieved and how humans affiliate with animal emotions. • Humans treat animal vocalizations as meaningful actions. • Animal vocalizations are interpreted as signs of affect. • Animal vocalizations mobilize affiliative responses from humans. • Responses include tokens of surprise or sympathy and verbalizations of emotions.