Self-domestication – Summarize Spoken Text

PTE SST – Self-domestication

The concept of self-domestication in animals, particularly dogs, is quite intriguing. One prominent theory suggests that dogs began their domestication journey by scavenging around human settlements, especially garbage dumps. This theory posits that less aggressive wolves were more successful at scavenging near humans, leading to a natural selection process favoring those with friendlier and more cooperative traits. However, some researchers argue against this “dump theory”. They suggest that the domestication of dogs was more complex and involved active cooperation and emotional bonds between humans and wolves long before the existence of human waste dumps. This perspective highlights the psychological and neurobiological similarities between humans and dogs that facilitated their close relationship. Overall, the self-domestication hypothesis emphasizes that the evolution of dogs from wolves was likely driven by a combination of factors, including reduced aggression and increased sociability.