This article delves into the world of animal emotions, addressing traditional interpretations of ‘optimistic’ and ‘pessimistic’ choices in judgment bias tests. It discusses whether these choices should be interpreted as directly reflecting an animal’s emotional state, as they may emerge from an animal’s tolerance for risk and propensity for exploration. It suggests that terms like ‘novelty-seeking’ or ‘risk-seeking’ are more appropriate (affectively neutral) descriptors of an animal’s seemingly optimistic choices.
