Researchers have found that dogs pay more attention to consonants than vowels when listening to human speech, according to a study reported by outlets across the political spectrum.
The findings came from research using non-invasive EEG monitors attached to dogs, which allowed scientists to identify which components of human speech the animals are most attuned to, according to New Scientist.
The Daily Mail reported that the study confirmed canine brains process speech in a surprisingly human-like way, noting dogs seem adept at picking out specific words they want to hear, such as 'walkies' or 'dinner.'
Left-leaning outlets including The Washington Post, The Daily Beast and The Independent described the findings as a surprising or shock discovery about how dogs decode human language.
How each side covered it
Left
- The Washington Post described dogs using a surprising method to understand human language.
- The Daily Beast and The Independent both characterized the findings as a notable or shock discovery about how dogs decode speech.
“Dogs use a surprising method to understand human language, new study suggests” — The Washington Post
Center
- New Scientist reported dogs pay more attention to consonants than vowels when humans speak.
- The study used non-invasive EEG monitors to identify the speech components dogs are most attuned to.
“Dogs pay more attention to consonants than vowels when we speak” — New Scientist
Right
- The Daily Mail reported the study confirmed dogs process speech in a human-like way.
- The outlet noted dogs seem able to pick out specific words they want to hear, such as 'walkies' or 'dinner.'
“Dogs really DO understand their master's voice! Study confirms pooches process speech in a way previously only seen in humans” — Daily Mail
Questions readers ask
What did the new study find about dogs and speech?
The study found that dogs pay more attention to consonants than vowels when listening to human speech, based on EEG monitoring of the animals' brain activity, according to New Scientist.
How did researchers study dogs' brain activity?
Scientists used non-invasive EEG monitors attached to dogs to observe which parts of human speech the animals focused on most, according to New Scientist.
Why does this study matter?
The Daily Mail reported the findings suggest canine brains process speech in a way previously seen mainly in humans, shedding light on how dogs understand words like 'walkies' or 'dinner.'
What did left- and right-leaning outlets focus on?
Left-leaning outlets such as The Washington Post, The Daily Beast and The Independent framed the findings as a surprising or shock discovery about how dogs decode language, while the Daily Mail emphasized the human-like nature of canine speech processing.
Sources · 5 outlet reports
- The Daily BeastLeft-leaningScientists Make Shock Discovery About Dogs and Human Speech
- The IndependentLeft-leaningScientists reveal how dogs decode what humans are saying
- The Washington PostLeft-leaningDogs use a surprising method to understand human language, new study suggests
- New ScientistCenterDogs pay more attention to consonants than vowels when we speak
- Daily MailRight-leaningDogs really DO understand their master's voice! Study confirms pooches process speech in a way previously only seen in humans