Field Guide · Glossary
Displacement behavior
Body languageAn ordinary behavior appearing at a moment it does not fit, such as scratching or sniffing the ground in the middle of an interaction.
How it works
The behaviors themselves are unremarkable: a scratch, a yawn, a shake off, or a sudden burst of ground sniffing. Timing is what draws attention to them, since the same action carries no particular weight on a quiet afternoon and becomes worth noticing while a stranger leans over the dog. Motivational conflict is the traditional explanation, describing a dog pulled between approaching and retreating while neither impulse wins. When these behaviors have been counted directly, they appeared at the same rate whether a person approached in a deliberately threatening way or a neutral one, and tracked the individual dog's own manner more closely than the situation in front of it.
What it looks like
A dog is being greeted by a visitor crouching in front of them. Halfway through, the dog stops, sits, and scratches vigorously behind one ear for several seconds, then stands and moves away. Nothing was itching.
Commonly confused with
- Stress signals
- Stress signals is the broader list of things a dog does when uncomfortable. Displacement behaviors are the subset that are normal behaviors turning up at abnormal moments, rather than behaviors specific to stress.
Related terms
Where this comes up
Sources