Bridging human and animal personality: A behavioral test to assess reward sensitivity

Accounting for individual differences in depression or resilience is crucial to ensure individualized well-being. Differences in tendencies to approach rewards and avoid threats reflect personality and help to understand what animals want and like. At the neural level, these tendencies involve the behavioral activation system (BAS) and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS). We developed a test to investigate reactions to rewards and approach-avoidance conflicts using the domestic pig as a model. After testing 101 piglets, we showed that this test is reproducible, highly repeatable, and linked with classic personality dimensions assessed with four established personality tests. We report on individual tendencies related to approach-avoidance conflicts (BIS) and reward responsiveness (BAS), which are connected to specific personality traits. These findings address the gap between human and non-human animal personality research. Our study explores individual differences in perceived rewards, which have strong implications in promoting positive animal welfare and mental health.