Cognitive bias testing has become a validated tool for assessing the emotional states of farm animals, including pigs. Understanding this research helps interpret welfare claims and inform better housing standards.
Cognitive bias testing represents a paradigm shift in welfare assessment: moving from measuring what animals do to measuring how they feel. The distinction matters because animals in poor welfare may suppress visible distress signals while still experiencing negative emotional states. Optimistic cognitive bias as a welfare indicator captures this distinction - enriched pigs are not just behaving better, they are experiencing the world more positively. This has direct implications for housing standards: the question becomes not just 'are animals avoiding pain?' but 'are animals experiencing positive emotional states?' The answer has clear implications for enrichment provision, space allowance, and social housing requirements.