Have you been paying attention to current events recently? See how many of these 10 questions you can get right.
What Are Your Biggest Fears?
In the Times Magazine piece “An Agoraphobe Goes to the Grocery Store,” with illustrations by Nata Metlukh, Sara Benincasa writes with humor and pathos about her lifelong struggle with a phobia that makes going outside extremely challenging:
On a crisp winter afternoon in Chicago, I anxiously donned a very puffy coat.
My large gray cat, Polly, stared up at me, her green eyes telegraphing a message:
Where the hell do you think you’re going?
“I just need to get some food,” I said. “I’ll be OK.”
I took a deep breath, opened the door and walked out.
I have agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder that takes its name from the Greek root words for “market” and “fear.”
Most people think agoraphobia is only a fear of leaving the home. In reality, it’s a lot more complex.
My first symptoms showed up when I was 8: fear of cars, buses, planes, a terror of nausea and a general discomfort when leaving home.
I despised field trips because they disrupted my routine. I didn’t know I had a mental illness. I just thought I was weird.
By 16, I was frequently overcome by irrational fear. My entire being would erupt in what I now know was a panic attack: nausea, racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, disorientation.
The anxiety would have been understandable in the face of an oncoming truck —
but made no sense when standing in front of an array of cereal boxes.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Story Time
Do you have a favorite memory of someone reading to you?
Maybe it’s of a parent reading to you before bed, a grandparent reading to you on a long road trip, a teacher reading to you in class, or something else. What was the book, story or poem you were being read? Why do you think this memory has stuck with you?
Do you like being read to even now that you’re older? Do you ever read to others? If so, tell us why and what those moments mean to you.
Tell us in the comments, and then read the related newsletter about why even adults enjoy being read to.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Word of the Day: talisman
The word talisman has appeared in 217 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Oct. 25 in “Susanna Clarke Wrote a Hit Novel Set in a Magical Realm. Then She Disappeared” by Alexandra Alter. Ms. Alter includes details from her interview with Ms. Clarke:
In her lap she held a stuffed pig, with a stuffed fox nestled beside her; both creatures play a role in “The Wood at Midwinter.” She likes to hold her stuffed animals when she’s working, to help her think, and as a talisman “to ward off, I don’t know what, something or other.”
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word talisman in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how talisman can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.
Do You Know the Classic Works That Inspired These Popular Family Movies?
“The Lion King,” first released as an animated film in 1994, has spawned multiple adaptations and sequels, including Julie Taymor’s 1997 Broadway production and a soundtrack companion album by Beyoncé for the 2019 computer-enhanced movie version. The plot of the story, about a young lion finding his place in the world, has been compared to which play by William Shakespeare?
Are Girls Doing Better Than Boys in School?
Here are some questions from a recent survey for teenagers about girls’ and boys’ experiences in school. How would you answer each of them: boys, girls or both about equally?
In general, who would you say gets better grades at your school?
In general, who is more likely to have leadership roles at your school?
In general, which sports teams would you say are valued more at your school?
In general, who would you say teachers at your school favor more?
In general, who speaks up more in class at your school?
In general, who is more disruptive in class at your school?
When you look at your answers together, do you see a pattern? Would you say girls and boys are equal in your school? Or is there a disparity?
In “Teenagers Say Girls Are Equal to Boys in School, or Are Ahead,” Claire Cain Miller writes about the findings of two recent Pew Research Center surveys, including the one from which the questions above were drawn. The article begins:
In the 1980s and 1990s, boys still dominated American classrooms. They outscored girls in math and science, they raised their hands more often and they got more attention from teachers, data showed.
That’s not the reality for today’s students. More than half of teenagers say that boys and girls are now mostly equal in school. And significant shares say that girls have advantages over boys — that they get better grades, have more leadership roles and speak up more in class, according to a Pew Research Center survey of teens nationwide published Thursday.
Boys are more likely to be disruptive, get into fights or have problems with drugs or alcohol, the teenagers said. And strikingly, boys said they’re much less likely to be college-bound: 46 percent of boys said they planned to attend a four-year college, compared with 60 percent of girls.
Teenagers aren’t often surveyed by high-quality pollsters. Their responses in the Pew survey reflect other data on educational outcomes. Boys today have more challenges than girls in school as early as kindergarten. Girls have narrowed gaps with boys in math (though they have widened since pandemic school closures), and girls outperform boys in reading. Boys graduate from high school and attend college at lower rates.
Boys’ struggles in school could have long-term consequences, researchers say. The share of men working has declined. Nearly half of Republican men say American society has negative views of men, beginning with their experiences as boys in school. Young men’s feelings of disconnection played a role in the election — this group swung toward President Trump, perhaps in part because he promised to restore their status in American society.
“In the last 50 years, as girls have made gains, what we’ve seen is boys haven’t made the same gains,” said Matt Englar-Carlson, who studies boys and men at Cal State Fullerton and is a member of the American Psychological Association’s task force on boys in school. “The bigger issue is: What happens to a society when there’s such disparity between men and women in educational outcomes?
Researchers don’t know exactly why boys have fallen behind girls in school to such an extent. Some of it could be biological — boys mature later, and school has become more academic earlier, requiring boys to sit still and work independently at young ages. The fact that most teachers are women could contribute.
In the survey, boys were more likely to say that teachers favored girls: 23 percent of boys said this, compared with 9 percent of girls. (Very few teenagers said teachers favored boys.)
There is also evidence that boys are socialized to care less about academics. And years of being perceived as being problematic in classrooms could weigh on them, researchers said.
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
What is your reaction to the survey results? Are you likely to agree with the overall takeaway that girls are equal to boys in school or are ahead?
How do these findings compare with your own experiences in school? Do they reflect what you see or how you feel personally? What have you witnessed or experienced that supports or contradicts what the article says? Explain.
The article states that boys and girls face different challenges both in and outside school. Do you find that to be true? Are there certain pressures, expectations or roles that you feel are somehow tied to your gender?
Though researchers don’t know exactly why boys have fallen behind girls in school, the article provides some possible explanations. Do any of those reasons resonate with you? Do you have ideas about why there might be a disparity?
There are signs in the surveys that people are starting to think there should be more investment in boys and their outcomes. Do you agree? If so, what should schools do to address this issue, and why? If not, why not?
This article focuses on boys and girls. What challenges might nonbinary students face in schools that are not recorded in these surveys?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
Word of the Day: repartee
The word repartee has appeared in 22 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Jan. 21 in “It’s Zinc Bar vs. Barista in a Paris Battle of the Buzz” by Vivian Song:
At Café Ventura on a quiet weekday morning, it became quickly apparent that the main server, a graying man in his 50s, and the young mustachioed barman ran a two-man show based on a repartee between each other and their regulars.
When an older woman entered the Pigalle neighborhood cafe, she was greeted with warmth and relief. The comments flew fast and furious.
“Ah, there she is,” said one waiter.
“We were worried,” said the other.
“I’m not dead,” she quipped, without skipping a beat.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word repartee in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how repartee can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.
10 Most In-Demand Courses to Elevate Your AI Skills
Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t just a buzzword anymore — AI skills are a driving force behind innovation across both technical and non-technical industries alike, spanning from software development, marketing, healthcare, and even finance.
Since the introduction of ChatGPT in late 2022, AI-related job postings have surged by 68%, underscoring the rapid integration of AI technologies across industries and creating a wealth of exciting new opportunities for professionals in the AI and machine learning (ML) space.
While there are the obvious titles — like AI Engineer or Machine Learning Engineer — there are also other technical positions that use generative AI and machine learning but might not be as obvious.
Learn something new for free
That said, it’s not just technical roles that require AI skills. Over the last decade, the share of AI-related skills in job postings increased to 45%, while machine learning-related skills accounted for 30%.
This shift indicates a broader adoption of AI across various, non-technical job functions. Furthermore, by the end of last year, nearly a quarter of all occupations had at least some demand for AI skills, reflecting the technology’s pervasive influence.
10 Most In-Demand AI Courses
So, whether you’re dipping your toes into the AI waters, or are already knee-deep and eager to learn more, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 most in-demand, free AI courses from Codecademy — tailored for beginners, seasoned developers, and everyone in between.
They not only provide hands-on practice with cutting-edge tools and frameworks, but also help you master the skills needed to stay competitive in this increasingly AI-driven world.
Let’s breakdown each one of the 10 most in-demand AI courses, who they’re best for, and what you’ll gain from each:
1. Intro to Generative AI
This course is the perfect launchpad into the world of AI. Dive into the fundamentals of generative AI, explore different types of AI models, and discover how businesses leverage these technologies to automate and innovate.
What you’ll learn:
- Types of generative AI models (like GPTs and beyond)
- Basics of how these models work
- Real-world applications of generative AI
Best for: Tech enthusiasts, beginners, business professionals exploring AI applications
2. Learn How to Use AI for Coding
In a recent survey, a whopping 97% of professional developers said they use AI coding tools in their workflow. So, there’s no doubt AI is revolutionizing coding, and this course shows you how to join the movement.
From debugging to optimizing, explore how AI can assist in writing and optimizing code, ultimately reducing development time and improving software quality with AI-powered coding tools.
What you’ll learn:
- How AI makes coding faster and more efficient
- Popular tools like GitHub Copilot and how to use them
- Practical tips for integrating AI into your coding workflow
Best for: Software developers, coding enthusiasts, AI-assisted programmers
3. Learn How to Use ChatGPT
Harness the capabilities of ChatGPT, one of the most talked-about AI tools. Whether automating emails or generating creative content, this course teaches you how ChatGPT can enhance customer service and streamline workflows with AI-powered conversation models.
What you’ll learn:
- ChatGPT’s capabilities and limitations
- Use cases for customer service, marketing, and productivity
- Strategies to optimize ChatGPT outputs
Best for: Content creators, marketers, business professionals, AI enthusiasts
4. Principles of Data Literacy
Data drives businesses. Master the fundamentals of data literacy—learn how to interpret, visualize, and analyze data effectively. This recently updated course now features interactive components and uses AI for data, giving you hands-on learning by building real-world data skills.
What you’ll learn:
- Fundamentals of data interpretation and visualization
- Tools to harness AI for data analysis
- Real-world applications and case studies
Best for: Data analysts, professionals navigating data-driven roles
5. Deep Dive Into Generative AI with Azure OpenAI
Microsoft Azure meets AI innovation in this hands-on course. Explore Azure’s AI capabilities, including model customization, text and image generation, and how to integrate AI solutions securely into cloud-based applications.
What you’ll learn:
- Using Azure’s AI tools for text and image generation
- Model customization and deployment
- Cloud security in AI integration
Best for: AI engineers, cloud developers, IT professionals
6. Generative AI on AWS: Generating Code with Amazon CodeWhisperer
Boost your productivity with Amazon CodeWhisperer by learning how AI-powered tools assist in code generation, improving efficiency and reducing errors.
What you’ll learn:
- Leveraging Amazon CodeWhisperer for code generation
- Boosting productivity with AI-powered coding tools
- Error reduction and best practices
Best for: Developers, AI-assisted coding enthusiasts
7. Using OpenAI APIs: Exploring APIs with the OpenAI Playground
The OpenAI Playground is a dynamic and user-friendly platform that allows individuals to engage with OpenAI’s cutting-edge language models, such as GPT-3.5 and GPT-4. In this course, learn how to work with OpenAI APIs to build applications powered by AI, from chatbots to AI-generated content tools.
What you’ll learn:
- Basics of OpenAI APIs and their functionality
- Building chatbots and AI-generated content tools
- Best practices for integrating APIs into projects
Best for: AI developers, automation engineers, technical product managers
8. Intro to AI Transformers
Understand the power of transformers—the technology behind GPT models—and learn how to leverage Hugging Face libraries for AI-driven text processing. Built in partnership with Hugging Face!
What you’ll learn:
- Basics of transformers in AI
- Building NLP models with Hugging Face
- Practical use cases like text generation and translation
Best for: AI enthusiasts, natural language processing (NLP) developers
9. Intro to MidJourney
If you’ve seen some of the visually impressive AI-generated art online, chances are MidJourney had something to do with it. This course introduces you to the tool’s functionalities, helping you tap into your creative side.
What you’ll learn:
- Creating vibrant, quality AI art with ease
- Exploring advanced techniques for unique results
- Applications for design and branding
Best for: Digital artists, AI designers, creative professionals
10. Learning Django Using Generative AI Help
Django meets generative AI in this exciting course that equips you with the skills to build dynamic websites while using AI for development and automation.
What you’ll learn:
- Django basics and web app development
- Integration of generative AI tools into workflows
- Automating repetitive development tasks
Best for: Web developers, Python programmers, full-stack developers
How to Choose the Right Course
Feeling overwhelmed by so many options? Start by identifying your current goals and experience level. Whether it’s coding, marketing, or design, there’s an AI learning path waiting for you. Why learn AI with Codecademy?
- Hands-on Learning: Gain practical experience with interactive projects and real-world applications.
- Beginner & Advanced Options: Whether you’re starting from scratch or leveling up, there’s something for everyone.
- Free to Start: Get access to high-quality courses without breaking the bank.
- Career-Focused Skills: Learn the AI tools and frameworks top employers value, like OpenAI API, AWS, and Azure.
As AI skills continue to become more commonplace in every job role — from the technical to the non-technical — Codecademy’s free courses make it easier than ever to gain the relevant AI skills for your role and industry.
Sign up today and start learning for free.*
The future isn’t waiting, and neither should you.
Offer terms & conditions:
*60% Off Codecademy Pro offer valid from March 24, 2025 at 12:00:00 am Eastern Time (“ET”) and ends at 11:59:59 pm ET on March 31, 2025. Discount is only available to individuals who have enrolled in one of the courses listed below between 12:00:00 am ET March 24, 2025 and 11:59:59 pm ET March 27, 2025, and is only applicable to new annual subscription plans (excluding Codecademy Plus and Codecademy Pro Student plans), and cannot be combined with any other offer or used for any Codecademy for Business plans.
Discount applies to the first year of a new subscription, after which the subscription will auto-renew for subsequent years at the regular price. Code valid one time only. Discount applies to certain products and not all products are available in all countries. Discount is not applicable to taxes. Codecademy reserves the right to modify or cancel this promotion at any time without notice. Any subscription plan purchases are subject to Codecademy’s Terms of Service.
Staying Relevant in Data Science: How Consistent Skill Growth Drives Mike Norton’s Success
After over 30 years in the telecom industry and a distinguished career as an officer in the Marine Corps, Mike Norton isn’t slowing down. In fact, he’s accelerating. Now a Product Management leader at T-Mobile, Mike has embraced the evolving field of data science, combining his technical expertise and leadership experience to stay competitive and drive value for his company and team. His story is not only about career progression — it’s about his determination to constantly upskill, his passion for mentoring, and his strategic decision to stay relevant in a rapidly changing industry.
With two master’s degrees already under his belt, Mike Norton saw value in continuing to refine his skills portfolio. Ultimately, Mike sought his third master’s credential with the University of Colorado Boulder’s Master of Science in Data Science on Coursera.
A Career Built on Leadership and Adaptation
Mike’s journey began at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, leading to 7.5 years of service in the Marine Corps. After leaving the military, he transitioned into telecom, where he climbed the ranks in IT management and application development. Over the years, he managed complex systems — billing, ordering, and network management to name a few — steadily building a career defined by leadership and technical expertise.
But seven years ago, Mike faced a pivotal shift. His company restructured, and instead of retreating, he seized the opportunity to start fresh as an individual contributor. Leveraging his management skills, he eventually transitioned into product management — first as a consultant, then securing a permanent position at T-Mobile. The company’s focus on data opened new doors for Mike, and he saw a clear opportunity: “Data is important here,” he says. “To be of maximum value, you have to keep learning.” With this philosophy in mind, Mike began exploring his third master’s degree with the University of Colorado Boulder.
At T-Mobile, the value of education is clear as Mike has been able to take advantage of employer tuition reimbursement benefits. “I’m extremely satisfied by the program. I love the price. For the investment, it’s very affordable. It’s so affordable that I’ve managed it within the funding that T-mobile provides.”
The Pursuit of Data Science Excellence
As he began his enrollment to the program, Mike knew his technical foundation was strong, but also knew that to truly master data science and machine learning, he needed formal training. After formerly completing a six-month machine learning certificate program, he sought more— a deeper understanding of big data, statistics, and non-AI elements of data science.
The flexibility of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Data Science program and practical focus of the curriculum were exactly what Mike was looking for:
“In the traditional classroom, information is here today, gone tomorrow. But with this program, the combination of videos, labs, and tests really makes the knowledge stick.”
Mike also speaks highly of the professors, particularly Dr. Jen Corcoran and Dr. Zaharatos, whose engaging and challenging teaching styles made a lasting impact. “90% of the professors I’ve had have been excellent,” Mike says. The ability to work at his own pace was a game-changer. “If you’re not feeling great one day, you can pick it up later. That flexibility makes a big difference.”
In terms of enrollment, Mike took the technical pathway into the program, tackling courses in statistics and data pipeline engineering. While he admits that brushing up on calculus was challenging, he sees value in the struggle. “Some of the stats courses were very math-heavy — I hadn’t touched calculus in…I don’t want to say how many years! But with hard work, you figure it out.”
Bringing Knowledge Back to the Team
Mike’s data science education isn’t just personal — it’s transforming how he leads his teams. Managing four machine learning scrum teams at T-Mobile, Mike has been able to apply statistical insights and modeling techniques directly to real-world problems.
“Before, I had a good technical understanding. But now, I can better explain how these models work mathematically. I’m able to coach my teams more effectively.”
Mike has also pushed his teams to refine their approach to data distribution and algorithm selection. He’s encouraged them to read abstracts, question assumptions, and experiment with feature engineering. For example, when it comes to models, he has worked with his teams to continuously tweak things to find the best approach.
A Passion for Mentoring
Mike isn’t just applying what he’s learned — he’s sharing it. He meets regularly with colleagues for one-on-one mentoring, helping younger team members navigate their careers and grow their confidence.
Mike’s commitment to mentoring has made him a role model. Younger employees in their 20s have told him that seeing him pursue a degree has inspired them to go back and pursue their own education. He even recently inspired a member of his team to enroll in the very same Data Science master’s degree at CU Boulder. “What (The University of Colorado Boulder) has invested in me, I invest in other people.”
“I believe firmly that as an individual in charting your career, your biggest skillset is your ability to learn, adjust and continue to reskill yourself to be relevant.”
Staying Competitive and Future-proofing his Career
Mike’s motivation is clear: staying competitive in a fast-moving field. He knows that as his career progresses, he’ll need to continue sharpening his edge:
“You have to be competitive because, as an employee, you get more and more expensive. If you’re not upskilling and retooling, you’re not going to stay relevant.”
The credential itself matters — but so does the knowledge behind it. Mike is already thinking about his next steps. Large language models are the next frontier, and he’s preparing by studying them independently. “I bought a $68 book on large language models — theory and practice. There’s an old saying that if you invest in 30% of the best texts in an area, you’ll be ahead of 80% of your peers.”
Finishing Strong and Looking Ahead
With just one credit hour left, Mike is on track to graduate this May. He’s excited to cross the finish line — but more importantly, he’s proud of the skills he’s gained along the way. “It’s been a long haul — like a marathon. But I’m excited to have the credential. It’s meaningful in itself.”
Mike’s long-term goal is to stay at the forefront of data science, both within his company and the broader industry. He’s considering writing an abstract on anomaly detection and submitting it to the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Public speaking at data science conferences is also on his radar — a return to a strength from earlier in his career.
“I’m obviously not a spring chicken,” he jokes. “But I plan to contribute for a long time to come, and I’m already thinking about what I’m going to learn next.”
How Well Do You Understand Your Pet?
Your dog barks even when there’s not another dog or squirrel in sight. Your cat hides for days, for no reason that you can fathom. Your hamster looks at you quizzically while waiting for you to refill its water. Your scaly green iguana sits still for hours as if engaged in a one-animal staring contest with the world.
Does your pet’s behavior ever have you scratching your head and wondering what’s going on in their heads and hearts?
We all love our pets — despite, or perhaps because of, their occasionally mystifying behavior. But just how well do you think you know and understand your pet? (Do you think they know us any better?) Or, do you think we humans can never truly know what’s going on in their animal minds?
In “Think You Understand Your Dog? Think Again.” Emily Anthes writes about a new study that suggests that many owners, despite their love and affection, often misinterpret the emotions of their canine pets:
Dogs can’t talk, but their body language speaks volumes. Many dogs will bow when they want to play, for instance, or lick their lips and avert their gaze when nervous or afraid.
But people aren’t always good at interpreting such cues — or even noticing them, a new study suggests.
In the study, the researchers presented people with videos of a dog reacting to positive and negative stimuli, including a leash, a treat, a vacuum cleaner and a scolding. When asked to assess the dog’s emotions, viewers seemed to pay more attention to the situational cues than the dog’s actual behavior, even when the videos had been edited to be deliberately misleading. (In one video, for instance, a dog that appeared to be reacting to the sight of his leash had actually been shown a vacuum cleaner by his owner.)
“When it comes to just perceiving dog emotions, we think we know what’s happening, but we’re actually subconsciously relying on a lot of other factors,” said Holly Molinaro, who is a doctoral student at Arizona State University and the first author of the new paper, which was published on Monday in the journal Anthrozoös.
That bias could mislead owners about their dogs’ well-being, Ms. Molinaro said. People who want to be attentive to their dog’s experiences and emotions need to “take a second or two to actually focus on the dog rather than everything else that’s going on,” she said.
For the study, Ms. Molinaro, working with her adviser Clive Wynne, a canine-behavior expert at Arizona State, created videos that allowed people to see a dog’s behavior without seeing what was unfolding around it. Ms. Anthes explains:
… Ms. Molinaro began recording videos of her family dog, Oliver, a 14-year-old pointer-beagle mix, interacting with her father. In some of the videos, Ms. Molinaro’s father did things that Oliver was likely to respond to positively, such as show him his leash or a toy. In others, he did things that were likely to elicit more negative reactions, such as gently scold Oliver or present him with Ms. Molinaro’s cat, Saffron. (“He was not a fan,” she said.)
Then, after a crash course in video editing, Ms. Molinaro made versions of each video that removed all of the situational context, leaving footage of Oliver, alone, on a black background.
The researchers asked hundreds of undergraduates to watch both sets of videos and assess Oliver’s emotional state in each clip. When the subjects evaluated the original videos, they rated Oliver’s emotions as more positive in the positive scenarios than in the negative ones. But when the context was removed, they rated Oliver’s emotions as equally positive in both types of situations.
Then, the scientists took things a step further by splicing together footage from different situations — showing, for instance, Ms. Molinaro’s father presenting a vacuum alongside footage of Oliver’s response to seeing his leash.
Viewers seemed to be swayed more by the context than by Oliver’s behavior. When Ms. Molinaro’s father was depicted doing something positive, subjects judged Oliver’s emotions to be positive, even if he had been filmed reacting to something negative.
“There’s no evidence at all that people actually see the dog,” Dr. Wynne said. “They seem to have a sort of a big blind spot around the dog himself.”
The study has limitations, including that it was based on the behavior of just a single dog. People might also perform better when asked to evaluate the emotions of their own dogs, Dr. Wynne said, and probably would have noticed signs of intense terror or trauma. (The scientists did not subject Oliver to any extremely negative experiences.)
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
Do you have any pets or have you ever had pets? If so, tell us about them and what you find most endearing about them. Are there any aspects of their behavior you find mystifying or confusing? If you have never had pets, think about animals you may have interacted with or observed closely.
How well do you think you know your pet — their emotions, thoughts and behavior? What evidence do you have that you are interpreting their inner feelings correctly?
Ms. Molinaro’s study suggests that dogs provide many clues as to what they may be feeling, but that humans often miss them. Instead, owners frequently interpret a dog’s emotions based on situational context and have “a big blind spot” for the actual animal. What’s your reaction to the research findings? Does it make you think you might be misunderstanding your own pet’s experiences and emotions more than you previously thought?
Dr. Wynne believes the study can be a “wake-up call for pet owners.” He said of his own dog: “I’m making it a project to learn how she expresses herself. Because if I know what makes her happy and unhappy, well, then I can guide her life toward greater happiness.” Does reading the article make you want to understand your pet more? What do you think you can do to deepen your comprehension?
If you could ask your pet one question and have them answer, what would it be, and why?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
