• pomegranatefern@sh.itjust.works
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    1 month ago

    Does this imply that pigeons don’t experience the Uncanny Valley? Does it mean that we can determine whether non-human animals experience the Uncanny Valley? Because I would love to see a deep dive into how common that is in the animal kingdom.

    • cynar@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      I’d also be fascinated if we figured out a way to do it

      I personally suspect it’s not common in the animal kingdom. It’s quite likely a defense against leprosy, a disease that is most dangerous in larger society type communities, without outside predators (to pick off the sick).

      That theory might be wrong however. Its distribution would tell us a lot about what it defends against.

    • T156@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      It might also be their version of the uncanny valley applies for different things.

      A dog’s uncanny valley could be something that smells slightly off, but humans wouldn’t think much about a human that smells funny, for example.

      Whereas a pigeons may well focus on other features instead of the face.