Dogs fail the MSR test but pass an analogous olfactory self-recognition test, demonstrating the test measures modality preference rather than self-awareness alone

Another good example of how the design of studies in comparative cognition is value-laden is the mirror self-recognition (MSR) test, which was originally envisioned by Gordon Gallup (1970) to probe animals’ self-awareness. In this test, an animal is first allowed to become familiarized with a mirror. In a second step, the animal is anesthetized and an odorless mark is painted on their forehead. The behavior of the animal in front of the mirror is then observed, to see whether they interact with