Article

The Facilitation of Social Interactions by Domestic Dogs

Taylor & Francis
Anthrozoös
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Abstract

Research suggests that dogs can facilitate social interactions, which, in turn, may promote psychological health. This study explored the ability of dogs to facilitate social responses relative to other accompaniments and investigated whether the social catalysis effect is generic or influenced by the appearance of the dog. The behavior of 1800 pedestrians approaching a female experimenter was recorded as a function of the presence of three dogs (Labrador Retriever pup, Labrador adult, Rottweiler adult) and two neutral stimuli (teddy bear, potted plant). The behavior of pedestrians approaching the woman whenever she was alone (control) was also explored. Information was collected on the passers-by' gender, number of people in the party, type of acknowledgement elicited and length of conversations. More people ignored the experimenter whenever she was alone or with the teddy or plant, than whenever she was walking a dog. The Rottweiler resulted in more nonresponses than the puppy or adult Labrador, who in turn elicited more smiles and verbal responses. Females, and those alone, elicited more smiles and conversations than males, or those in pairs. It is concluded that dogs can facilitate social interactions between adults better than other accompaniments; however, the social catalysis effect is not generic, but dog specific.

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... Numerous studies described the value of dogs to human mental health, particularly in terms of reducing stress, depression, and anxiety (e.g., Allen, Blascovich, & Mendes, 2002;Souter & Miller, 2007), promoting social interactions and feelings of support (Antonacopoulos & Pychyl, 2008) as well as increasing work performance (Allen, Blascovich, & Mendes, 2002). Dogs may enhance the social atmosphere at the work place (Tarkan,0000) and increase the frequency of conversations among coworkers (Wells, 2004). The presence of a friendly dog has been repeatedly shown to raise the social attractiveness of its owner (Allen, Blascovich, & Mendes, 2002;Aumer, Erickson, Krizizke, Jaksuwijitkorn, & Åbb, 2022;McNicholas & Collis, 2000Wells, 2004). ...
... Dogs may enhance the social atmosphere at the work place (Tarkan,0000) and increase the frequency of conversations among coworkers (Wells, 2004). The presence of a friendly dog has been repeatedly shown to raise the social attractiveness of its owner (Allen, Blascovich, & Mendes, 2002;Aumer, Erickson, Krizizke, Jaksuwijitkorn, & Åbb, 2022;McNicholas & Collis, 2000Wells, 2004). Thus, the (potential) benefits of dogs in working environments seems obvious but how are dogs affected by this relatively new practice? ...
... Breed and size do make a difference with respect to coworker and customer perception (Delgado-Rodríguez, Cabrera, Ordóñez-Pérez, & Martos-Montes, 2022). Wells (2004) compared in her study the approaches of strangers when a female experimenter was alone and when she was accompanied by different types of dogs (e.g., adult Rottweiler, adult Labrador retriever, or juvenile Labrador retriever), a teddy bear, or a potted plant. Over 30% of strangers talked to the female when she was with the adult or juvenile Labrador retriever compared to less than 5% of strangers when she was alone or accompanied by the teddy bear, potted plant, or the Rottweiler (Wells, 2004). ...
... While research generally indicates a positive effect of dog presence on social interactions, Wells [10] argued that the social catalysis effect depends on the individual dog. In an observational study, the author recorded the behaviour of 1800 pedestrians approaching an experimenter on a city street who was accompanied by either a Labrador Retriever pup, a Labrador adult, a Rottweiler adult, or one of two neutral stimuli (i.e., teddy bear or potted plant). ...
... She observed that more people ignored the experimenter when they were alone or with the neutral stimuli. However, the presence of the Rottweiler resulted in more non-responses (i.e., no response, no smile, or no conversation) compared to the puppy or adult Labrador [10]. Consequently, it was concluded that certain dog breeds are poorer at facilitating social interactions [10]. ...
... However, the presence of the Rottweiler resulted in more non-responses (i.e., no response, no smile, or no conversation) compared to the puppy or adult Labrador [10]. Consequently, it was concluded that certain dog breeds are poorer at facilitating social interactions [10]. This outcome was consistent with earlier research by McNicholas and Collis [9] who subsequently hypothesised that breeds with a reputation for being aggressive may not serve as social catalysts when compared to those with a more favourable reputation. ...
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The development of a therapeutic alliance represents one of the most important processes that occurs in psychological therapy and is one of the strongest predictors of treatment outcome. To ensure the effective delivery of psychological interventions, it is important to explore factors which may improve the therapeutic alliance. There are well-documented effects of human–animal interactions in social settings, and researchers have also considered the effect of dog presence on the therapeutic alliance. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Database searches included CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria were studies that assessed the effect of dog presence on the therapeutic alliance and provided a quantitative outcome measure. Six studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Three of the included studies observed no significant effect of dog presence on the therapeutic alliance; three studies did observe a positive effect, with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.10 to d = 0.58. All six studies took place in either research or clinical settings. Studies differed in terms of help-seeking versus non-help-seeking populations, where help-seeking populations were genuinely pursuing a psychological intervention. Heterogeneity was observed regarding study procedure and outcome measures used. Current data is limited, and initial evidence suggests that the effect of dog presence on the therapeutic alliance remains unclear, illustrated by inconsistent outcomes across the included studies. Further research is warranted before introducing dogs into therapeutic settings for this purpose.
... One of the mechanisms through which dogs influence wellbeing is their role as a social catalyst: their ability to facilitate human social interactions. For instance, the presence of a dog is associated with increased positive non-verbal behaviors (e.g., smiling), greater social approachability (i.e., more and longer social interactions with strangers), and higher rates of solicited and unsolicited helping behaviors from strangers (Eddy et al., 1988;Guéguen & Ciccotti, 2008;Hart et al., 1987;Lawson, 2001;McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Messent, 1985;Wells, 2004). In addition to promoting casual social interactions and introductions, dogs can facilitate the formation of new friendships (Wood et al., 2015). ...
... Dogs also serve as social catalysts in disabled populations (e.g., those with intellectual disabilities; Bould et al., 2018) and help families with autistic children (Burrows et al., 2008). This role as a social facilitator might be partly explained by dogs' ability to enhance the positive social attributes of the individuals whom they accompany (Guéguen & Ciccotti, 2008;Wells, 2004). In line with this, people portrayed with a dog (vs. ...
... Specifically, the man and woman were perceived as more friendly, harmless, trustworthy, and nonaggressive when walking with a dog compared with the alone condition. Those findings are in line with previous literature indicating that people portrayed with a dog are perceived more favorably in terms of characteristics associated with safety (e.g., are considered as friendlier, safer, and less dangerous; Lockwood, 1983;Rossbach & Wilson, 1992) and other non-safety-related attributes (Guéguen & Ciccotti, 2008;Wells, 2004); for example, when accompanied by a dog, individuals are perceived as happier and wealthier than when depicted alone, with flowers, or with other animals such as cats or birds (Geries-Johnson & Kennedy, 1995;Lockwood, 1983;Rossbach & Wilson, 1992;Wells & Perrine, 2001). This "dog effect" on people's image might be one of the mechanisms underlying dogs' ability to increase human interactions (i.e., to serve as a social catalyst); for example, the presence of a dog increases non-verbal behaviors such as smiling, as well as approachability, and leads to solicited and unsolicited interactions with strangers (Eddy et al., 1988;Guéguen & Ciccotti, 2008;Hart et al., 1987;Lawson, 2001;McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Messent, 1985;Wells, 2004). ...
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Research shows that dogs enhance safety-related social attributes of the individuals whom they accompany. We aimed to expand previous results by examining, in a sample of undergraduate women, the ability of dogs to improve people’s social image in various emotional contexts. Participants (n = 281) assessed the safety-related attributes of a man and a woman depicted alone or accompanied by a dog in threatening and safe contexts. Using semantic differential scales, they were assessed in safety-related attributes that have been shown to be affected by threatening situations and modulated by the presence of a dog: aggressive–nonaggressive, untrustworthy–trustworthy, unfriendly–friendly, and dangerous–harmless. The results indicated that the man (i.e., high-aversive scenes) and woman (i.e., low-aversive scenes) in threatening scenes benefitted from the presence of a dog; they were perceived as less aggressive, more trustworthy, friendly, and harmless when walking with a dog compared with the alone condition. In safe contexts, the man (i.e., low-positive scenes) was also perceived more favorably by the participants when portrayed with a dog (vs. alone); however, the woman (i.e., high-positive scenes) was similarly perceived when alone and when accompanied by a dog, according to the results for the majority of the social perception scales, which indicates a ceiling effect. Overall, the results show that the presence of a dog affects the perception that women have of the owner’s safety-related image in aversive and low-positive contexts; however, dogs do not enhance the already favorable perceptions of owners in high-positive scenes. These findings indicate that the effect of the presence of a dog on individuals’ social image is affected by the emotionality of the context in which they are portrayed.
... One of the processes by which dogs influence well-being is through their role as social catalysts, given that dogs facilitate social interaction among humans; dogs increase interaction levels and nonverbal behaviors (Francis et al., 1985;McNicholas and Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004) and elicit higher rates of solicited and unsolicited helping behaviors from strangers (Guéguen and Ciccotti, 2008). In part, this effect might be based on dogs' ability to impart positive social attributes to the individuals they accompany (Wells, 2004;Guéguen and Ciccotti, 2008), e.g., dog ownership can be a signal of empathy and other emotional resources (Serpell and Paul, 2011). ...
... One of the processes by which dogs influence well-being is through their role as social catalysts, given that dogs facilitate social interaction among humans; dogs increase interaction levels and nonverbal behaviors (Francis et al., 1985;McNicholas and Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004) and elicit higher rates of solicited and unsolicited helping behaviors from strangers (Guéguen and Ciccotti, 2008). In part, this effect might be based on dogs' ability to impart positive social attributes to the individuals they accompany (Wells, 2004;Guéguen and Ciccotti, 2008), e.g., dog ownership can be a signal of empathy and other emotional resources (Serpell and Paul, 2011). It has been shown that people accompanied by a dog elicit higher levels of tolerance (Lawson, 2001) and are viewed as more trustworthy (e.g., they are more often provided with phone numbers by strangers; Guéguen and Ciccotti, 2008) and likable (i.e., happier, friendlier, wealthier, and less dangerous) than individuals who are alone or with flowers (Lockwood, 1983;Rossbach and Wilson, 1992). ...
... However, previous studies examined the dog-presence effect in general (i.e., without specifying the scenes; Wells and Perrine, 2001b;Knight and Edwards, 2008;Christian, Wood, et al., 2016), changing scenes (Rossbach and Wilson, 1992;McNicholas and Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004;Schneider and Harley, 2006), or in specific scenes (Wells and Perrine, 2001a;Perrine and Wells, 2006;Guéguen and Ciccotti, 2008;Tifferet et al., 2013;Pendry and Vandagriff, 2019) without considering the emotionality of the context. In other words, it is unknown whether the environment in which they assess the influence of dog presence is perceived as positive or negative by participants. ...
Article
We aimed to examine the role of dog presence in modulating human affective reactivity and sense of safety in emotional urban public spaces. College women (n=296) assessed valence, arousal, dominance, and safety in pictures depicting a man or a woman alone or accompanied by a small- or medium-sized dog in aversive and positive contexts. The results indicated that both dog sizes produce better assessments (i.e., higher valence, dominance, and sense of safety, and lower arousal) than the alone condition in high- and low- aversive (i.e., aversive/man and aversive/woman, respectively) and low-positive (i.e., positive/man) contexts. In highly positive contexts (i.e., positive/woman), the alone condition produces a similar assessment to small-sized dogs on arousal and dominance scales and medium-sized dogs on dominance and safety scales. When comparing dog sizes, small dogs produce better assessments in most emotional contexts. Those results overall indicated that dog presence itself (regardless of dog size) affects participants’ assessment in aversive and low-positive contexts; however, specific dog features such as size, rather than dog presence itself, are more important in high-positive contexts, indicating a ceiling effect. This study highlights the need to consider the emotionality of public settings when assessing the positive dog effect in scenes in which people are portrayed.
... There was an unexpected significant predictor of anxiety; having a non-elderly pet was linked to greater COVID-19 anxiety than having an elderly pet. Although speculative, pet owners of juvenile or adult pets, especially dogs, may have enjoyed significant physical exercise and engagement with the outdoors [58] until this practice was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic [59], causing distress and anxiety due to disruption of routine, as well as reduced incidental social interactions with strangers which often occur during dog walking [60,61]. Conversely, pet owners of elderly pets are much less likely to have engaged in as much outdoor activity with their pet due to less energy and physical capability of elderly pets [58], and so these pet owners may have experienced less distress and anxiety, as their day-to-day reality during COVID-19 may not have differed as drastically as owners of younger pets. ...
... Conversely, pet owners of elderly pets are much less likely to have engaged in as much outdoor activity with their pet due to less energy and physical capability of elderly pets [58], and so these pet owners may have experienced less distress and anxiety, as their day-to-day reality during COVID-19 may not have differed as drastically as owners of younger pets. This interpretation provides some support to previous arguments that the pet effect in dog owners may be driven in part by regular outdoor exercise [62], exposure to green spaces [62], and social contact facilitated [60] by owning a dog. However, this possible explanation can again only be speculative, as we did not measure the level of physical exercise, social interaction and engagement with the outdoors within the current study, nor did we have a baseline comparison outside of COVID-19. ...
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Although many people strongly believe in wellbeing benefits of having pets (the ‘pet effect’), research on the ‘pet effect’ in actuality is highly mixed. Surprisingly, little research has explored the nature of (i.e., specific components of) the human–pet relationship, as a way to explain the contradictory findings. One such component is human–pet play, with play outside of the human–pet relationship being important for wellbeing and social buffering. Thus, the current quantitative study explores whether greater perceived play with pets contributes to greater wellbeing (‘pet effect’) and reduces anxiety during a time of acute stress (social buffering). The study employs a regression design recruiting men and women residing in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic who own a dog and/or cat, with perceived pet play as the key predictor variable, and outcome variables of wellbeing and COVID-19 anxiety. Data were gathered and analysed cross-sectionally on day one (N = 189), and longitudinally over five days (N = 105), using multiple regressions. Overall, perceived pet play did not predict wellbeing nor COVID-19 anxiety. As such, the current study indicates human–pet play does not contribute to the ‘pet effect’ nor social buffering, thus raising questions for future research regarding the exact purpose of play within the human–pet relationship.
... For socially isolated individuals, animals can provide comfort and a sense of friendship (Howe & Easterbrook, 2018;Irvine, 2013). Dogs may also act as social facilitators, increasing encounters with other people and help to mediate these interactions (McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004). This may be dependent on both owner and dog characteristics, with younger dogs or those perceived to have more likeable characteristics receiving more positive attention than others (Wells, 2004). ...
... Dogs may also act as social facilitators, increasing encounters with other people and help to mediate these interactions (McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004). This may be dependent on both owner and dog characteristics, with younger dogs or those perceived to have more likeable characteristics receiving more positive attention than others (Wells, 2004). ...
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Homelessness is a pervasive social issue worldwide. In the UK, it is currently estimated that one in two hundred people are homeless, approximating 0.5% of the population. Pet ownership among this group is thought to be commonplace and has been linked with a range of human health and social benefits. These include amelioration of loneliness, isolation and depression and reduction in suicidal thoughts, substance misuse and criminal activity. However, pet ownership has also been suggested to perpetuate homelessness by restricting access to support services, especially housing. This study aimed to explore the nature of the Human–Companion Animal Bond (H-CAB) between UK homeless owners and their dogs, and to document the implications of this bond for the health and welfare of both parties. Twenty homeless or vulnerably housed dog owners were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews consisting of open and closed questions. These were recorded, transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. Major emergent themes included participants’ descriptions of their pets as kin; the responsibility they felt towards their pet; and anticipatory grief when contemplating a future without their companion animal. Importantly, the analysis also suggests the importance of a mutual rescue narrative, whereby pet owners felt that they had rescued their dogs from a negative situation, and vice-versa. However, participants also described being refused access to services, frequently on account of their desire not to relinquish their pet. Indeed, given their description of their pets as family members, participants expressed frustration that this relationship was not considered as being of worthy of preservation by homelessness services. This study has highlighted some important features of the H-CAB between homeless owners and their dogs, not previously characterized in the UK. It also highlights the importance of empowering support services to accept pets where feasible, and thus preserve and enhance the benefits of pet ownership in this vulnerable population.
... Because dogs commonly motivate their owners to get outside for walks [18], dogs also may enhance physical activity among teleworkers, particularly if the lack of a commute increases the amount of time teleworkers have available to engage in physical activity. Furthermore, dogs facilitate social interactions among people [19,20]. Thus, they may help offset feelings of social isolation that individuals may experience when working remotely, particularly if dog owners are regularly encountering some of the same acquaintances day after day while walking their dog. ...
... Finally, future studies that focus on loneliness in relation to the teleworking experience may find that behavioral and physical characteristics of a dog enhance or hinder opportunities for social engagement with other humans while on dog walks. After all, the degree to which dog walking facilitates social interactions among community members is impacted by dog age, breed, and behavior [20,41]. ...
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In Spring of 2020, the novel coronavirus (SAR-CoV-2) prompted an unprecedented number of individuals across the United States to begin working from home. Prior research has identified both positive and negative impacts of teleworking on employee well-being, and this study built on that research to explore perceptions regarding how companion animals factor into the teleworking experience. Individuals who had experience working from home and from their employer’s office completed an online survey about those experiences. Participants reported spending more quality time with their companion animals and family members when they worked from home. Furthermore, when working from home, individuals with dogs were more likely than those without dogs to report they socialized with other people, got a healthy amount of physical activity, and took at least one 15-min walk during the workday. Some participants, particularly those in households containing both dogs and cats, indicated that their pets created distractions during the workday. Future studies can build on this research by investigating whether the findings persist once the novel coronavirus is no longer a threat, and by paying close attention to the characteristics of pets, owners, and household dynamics that may influence the effects of pet ownership on the teleworking experience.
... In terms of possible metacontingencies, aggregate products of these recurrent IBCs that could be selected by the surrounding environment (e.g., other family members as audiences) are the child's acquisition of new verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g., a mother that observes the dog-training episode and at the end praises the "performance" of the group), the dog's acquisition of socially-valued behavior (e.g., a "well behaved" dog that gets to stay in the family), social facilitators, or reduction of stress levels of the members involved (e.g., Greenebaum, 2010;Kwan & Bain, 2013;Odendaal & Meintjes, 2003;Wells, 2004;Westgarth et al., 2015). Research on the positive effects of dogs' inclusion in families in terms of, for instance, strengthening family ties and intimacy, supports this interpretation (e.g., Cloutier & Peetz, 2016;Power, 2008;Tannen, 2004;Turner, 2005). ...
... Regarding the dogs' role of facilitating social interactions (Fine, 2004;McNicholas & Collis, 2000), anthrozoological research has also found that companion dogs act as "social lubricants" (Gunter, 1999), evoking more friendly attention from others and helping to initiate conversations (McNicholas & Collis, 2006;Wells, 2004). Accordingly, studies suggest that companion dogs benefit romantic relationships by playing a role in stress relief for couples and providing the opportunity to practice empathy (Cloutier & Peetz, 2016;Walsh, 2009). ...
Article
Mounting interest in the evolutionary and contemporary aspects of human-dog association has resulted in growing research efforts from different disciplines with differing methodologies and areas of emphasis. Despite its potential to contribute to the understanding of human-dog interactions, behavior-analytic research efforts are scarce. We are illustrating how the behavior-analytic three-level selection by consequences framework could be applied to inform research on human-dog interactions. Therefore, the notions of interlocking behavioral contingencies and metacontingencies are applied to interpret specific interactions and suggest potential lines of research. We first analyze the development of cooperative hunting of prehistoric humans and dogs, and its implications for interspecific social-communicative skills. Second, we discuss contemporary family practices that involve the interactions between parents, children and family dogs via an analysis of a prototypic social episode. Lastly, we provide an overview of the main approaches that have contributed to the understanding of the human-dog interactions (e.g., anthrozoological), and show how their findings can be placed within the behavior-analytic framework. We conclude that the coherence of the selectionist framework is a major strength that not only can contribute to synthesize a large amount of scattered research on human-dog relationships conducted across various fields, but can also inform further research and applications.
... Cole and Gawlinski, 2000;Katcher, 2003, Hines, 2003;Horowitz, 2008;Walsh, 2009;Kruger and Serpell, 2010;Fine and Beck, 2015;Applebaum et al., 2021). The strength and quality of the body of evidence to date varies due to methodological restrictions, but findings have generally been consistent -pets assuage loneliness, anxiety and depression (Le Roux and Kemp, 2009;Stanley et al., 2014), provide motivation for physical activity (Cutt et al., 2007;Hoerster et al., 2011;Curl et al., 2017;Christian et al., 2018;O'Dwyer, 2018;Rhodes et al., 2020), build social capital (McNicholas and Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004;Curl et al., 2021), provide companionable touch (Young et al., 2020) and improve cardiovascular health (Allen et al., 2002;Friedmann et al., 2011;Levine et al., 2013;Mubanga et al., 2019). Not all subpopulations may experience these benefits or may experience only some of them to varying degrees (Amiot et al., 2022). ...
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Pet ownership has known health and well-being benefits for people of all ages. Most previous research on pet ownership among older people has focussed on older people with pets living independently in their own homes or the effects of visiting pet programs in residential aged care. With structural ageing of populations globally, the number of humans living into old age is increasing. Even with home support and care policies, an increasing number will need to live in communal aged care settings. Currently, pets rarely accompany older persons into communal residential aged care. This article presents a risk management tool – Safe Animal Friendly Environments (SAFE) – designed to facilitate and maintain private pet ownership among older people living in residential aged care facilities. SAFE was developed to identify best practice for both human and animal well-being in residential aged care. The tool supports both human and animal well-being during a human stage of life with many losses and pains while reducing the number of pet animals needlessly relinquished or even euthanised when owners need to ‘go into care’. It was developed using a Delphi process with multidisciplinary expert input. We identify the different types of risks for stakeholders (residents with pets, aged care facility staff and pets), including physical, zoonotic and psychological risks. None of the identified risks of pets in aged care are unmanageable. SAFE reduces risks to acceptable levels and directs how to remove them where possible. SAFE has a summative table listing 17 general risks: from animals to humans, humans to animals and animals to animals. Each identified risk has a pre-mitigation risk assessment (low, medium or high), recommended mitigation actions and a post-mitigation risk rating (low, medium or high). Post-mitigation risk is reduced to ‘low’ in almost all scenarios. SAFE has separate tables for dogs, cats, small mammals, birds and fish, each preceded by a best practice case study. The discussion links the Ottawa Charter for (human) health promotion and use of SAFE. SAFE contributes to the inclusion of residential aged care as a context for the personal human-animal bond.
... Communicating effectively and learning skills to manage conflict are essential components of an SEL curriculum. Again, the therapy dog appeared to enhance the program by facilitating social interactions and extending relationships, known as the "social facilitation effect" (Hart & Yanamoto, 2015;Wells, 2004). ...
... Extending this, sociability has been identified as a further motivation for dog companionship, with long-term friendships emerging between dog-walkers (Messent, 1983), the dogs themselves (Westgarth et al., 2019), and even beyond the dog walking fraternity (Wood & Christian, 2011). This has been articulated as a form of social capital and civic engagement (Tissot, 2011;Wood et al., 2005) with the dog becoming a facilitator in social relations and a broker in reciprocal sociability (Cudworth, 2011;Graham & Glover, 2014;McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004). Dogs, therefore, provide more than mere companionship for humans, becoming: " . . . ...
... Support for a more negative view of reactive dogs also comes from the current study: several respondents reported having altercations with members of the public. This brings a new perspective to the view of dogs as social lubricants (Wells, 2004): implying that in certain situations dogs can introduce a degree of social friction. Other situations in which dogs have been found to bring people into conflict include dog fouling (Wells, 2006), barking (Flint et al., 2014), presence at playgrounds (Wilson, 2014), and wildlife disturbance (Lord et al., 2001). ...
... Właściwie w każdym badaniu podkreślano, że sytuacja spaceru z psem sprzyja swobodnym rozmowom z członkami społeczności (np.: Shingne, Reese 2020; Gómez i in. 2018;Guéguen, Ciccotti 2008;McNicholas, Collins 2000;Robins, Sanders, Cahill 1991;Rogers, Hart, Boltz 1993;Wells 2004;Wood, Giles-Corti, Bulsara, Bosch 2007). Badania ilościowe pokazywały, że osoby spacerujące z psami znają więcej osób w sąsiedztwie i częściej wchodzą w interakcje z sąsiadami -znanymi im i nieznanymi. ...
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W metropolii i poza metropolią. Społeczny potencjał odrodzenia i rozwoju społeczności lokalnych to monografia naukowa, na którą złożyły się teksty znakomitych polskich socjologów. Ukazuje się w charakterze Księgi Jubileuszowej dedykowanej Profesorowi Pawłowi Staroście z okazji pięćdziesięciolecia Jego pracy zawodowej w Uniwersytecie Łódzkim.. Jej tytuł nawiązuje do tytułów najbardziej znanych dzieł Profesora- habilitacyjnej rozprawy Poza metropolią. Wiejskie i małomiasteczkowe zbiorowości lokalne a wzory porządku makrospołecznego oraz książki profesorskiej Społeczny potencjał odrodzenia miast poprzemysłowych– a zarazem określa ramy tematyczne publikacji. Zebrane teksty odwołują się do zainteresowań naukowych dostojnego Jubilata i dotyczą problemów poruszanych na gruncie socjologii miasta i socjologii wsi. Odnoszą się do kwestii rozwoju lokalnego, przemian miejskich i wiejskich społeczności lokalnych, teorii i badań kapitału społecznego, partycypacji i integracji społecznej oraz problemów społecznych. W monografii czytelnik odnajdzie socjologiczną refleksję na temat mechanizmów, szans i zagrożeń rozwoju współczesnych miast, miejskiej rezyliencji, wspólnotowości oraz obywatelstwa. Rozważania socjologów wsi oscylują wokół znaczenia prowincji, cech i postaw mieszkańców wsi, dotykających ich problemów społecznych, kryteriów podziału na „swoich” i „obcych” oraz specyfiki rozwoju zrównoważonego.
... Another limitation relates to the types of dogs that we used. The three dogs were all small-sized, with physical characteristics associated with high "agreeableness" (e.g., they had floppy ears; Hecht & Horowitz, 2015) and cuteness (e.g., short limbs; Wells, 2004); such dogs tend to have better relationships with humans (Thorn et al., 2015). Small-sized dogs are especially relevant to threatening social scenes because they provoke a greater emotional improvement than dogs of other sizes (e.g., vs. medium-sized dogs; Delgado-Rodríguez et al., 2022a), which may be because "small" dogs provoke less fear in passers-by (Gazzano et al., 2013). ...
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Research shows that the inclusion of a dog in pictures showing a man in threatening scenarios improves women’s emotional reactions to them. However, the magnitude of this “dog-accompanying effect” (i.e., whether the inclusion of a dog renders socially threatening scenes less aversive, neutral, or positive) in societies differing in terms of safety remains unknown. To address this, undergraduate women from societies differing in safety levels (lower [Colombia, n = 120] and higher [Spain, n = 131] safety levels) provided valence, arousal, dominance, and safety ratings to images depicting a man alone or with a dog in threatening scenes, as well as to images of pleasant and neutral social scenes. The same response pattern was found in both countries: when viewing images of a dog accompanying a man, women gave lower valence, dominance, safety, and calmness ratings than when viewing images of neutral scenes. Conversely, women gave higher valence, dominance, safety, and calmness ratings when observing images of a dog accompanying a man compared with images showing the man alone in threatening scenes. Overall, these data indicate that a dog’s presence in pictures buffered negative emotional reactions to photos of threatening social scenes in societal contexts differing in safety levels, but still (slightly) activated the defensive motivational system. The slight activation of the defensive motivational system is interpreted as an adaptative response of the person to reduce or avoid potential harm (e.g., a hypothetical attack by the man). Our study provides a deeper understanding of the influence of dogs on women’s emotional reactions to images of threatening scenes by clarifying the magnitude of the dog effect in societies differing in safety levels.
... Miközben a társállat feltétlen szeretetet biztosít számukra és a magányosság elkerülését is lehetővé teszi (Tan-Liu-Gao 2021). Wells (2004) kérdőíves kutatása alapján az Egyesült Államokban azt elemezte, hogy a társállattartás (pontosabban a kutyatartás, mivel a válaszadók valamennyien kutyatartók voltak) hogyan hat a párkapcsolat kialakítására. Azt találta, hogy a kutyák megkönnyíthetik a társas interakciókat, bár a hatások olyan tényezőktől is függhetnek, mint például a kutya fajtája: egy kisebb kutyával könnyebb lehet az ismerkedés, mint egy nagyobb testű állattal. ...
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Absztrakt A háziállatok egyre fontosabb szerepet játszanak a családok életében, ahogyan erre már számos nemzetközi tanulmány rávilágított. Magyarországon a háziállatok családon belüli szerepéről azonban még nem sok kuta-tási eredmény olvasható. Jelen tanulmány célja, hogy áttekintse a nemzetközi szakirodalomnak azt a részét, ami ezt a kérdést járja körül. Ehhez a felmérő szakirodalmi áttekintés (scoping review) módszerét alkalmaz-tuk. Ennek keretében összegyűjtöttük azokat a nemzetközi folyóiratcikkeket, amelyek az 1980 és 2022 közötti időszakban jelentek meg és az általunk választott témára fókuszáltak. A szakirodalmi áttekintés eredménye alapján 47 olyan cikket találtunk, melyek megfeleltek kutatásunk fókuszának, azaz a háziállatok családon belüli szerepét vizsgálták. Ezek átolvasása után a következő téma-körök bontakoztak ki: a fiktív rokonság kialakulása ember és állat között, ehhez kapcsolódóan a háziállatok rugalmas szerepe a családon belül, valamint a gazdák átalakuló szerepköre. Emellett a vizsgált folyóiratcikkek egy része a különböző kötődéstípusokat elemzi háziállatok és gazdáik között, valamint ehhez kapcsolódóan a háziállat elvesztésével járó gyász kérdésköre is gyakran került e kutatások középpontjába. Továbbá az is, hogy a háziállattal rendelkezők miként alakítanak ki párkapcsolatot, és hogy vajon a háziállatok pótolhatják-e a gyermekeket. Munkánk során az is világossá vált, hogy az általunk áttekintett cikkekben szereplő empirikus kutatások nagyon homogén mintán vizsgálták a háziállatok családi szerepeit: a középosztálybeli családokkal-és azon belül különösen a nőkkel-folytatott kutatások felülreprezentáltak. Így a jövőbeli vizsgálatoknál fontos lenne, hogy az eddigieknél heterogénebb mintát alkalmazzanak a kutatók.
... Culture is an important part of the social component of the model and reflects a change in attitude towards an understanding of the role animals can play in supporting the mental health of populations. Studies have investigated what is known as the "social facilitation effect" where dogs have facilitated social interaction between humans just by their presence (Hart & Yanamoto, 2015;Wells, 2004). ...
... Ihre Fähigkeit, liebevoll auf menschliche Aufmerksamkeit zu reagieren und prosoziales Verhalten zu fördern, kann im therapeutischen Kontext zu mehr Emotionalität in der Interaktion beitragen[26].Psychische Erkrankungen führen häufig zu Einsamkeit und zu sozialen und interaktionellen Defiziten, die auch die Aufnahme-und Teilnahmebereitschaft für etablierte Therapieformen erschweren können[1]. Hunde fördern den sozialen Austausch und das gemeinsame Interesse am Hund weckt ein Gefühl der Zugehörigkeit[27]. Bereits 1975 wurde bei therapieresistenten Klinikpatienten ein therapiemotivierender Effekt durch einen Hund beschrieben. ...
... Although research on the intersection of peer and pet interactions has been limited, Black (2012) found that the number of people in an adolescent's peer network was positively associated with the emotional attachment to their companion animal, furthering the hypothesis that pets may provide the opportunity to engage in positive social behaviors that would link to human-human relationships. Companion animals can also serve as "social lubricants" for people to interact with each other (Koohsari et al., 2021;McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004), and can be a reason for youth to connect with their peers. For example, dog adoption has been associated with a brief increase in visits from peers (Paul & Serpell, 1996). ...
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Introduction Relationships with companion animals have been associated with higher levels of prosocial behavior and lower levels of socioemotional difficulties for children and adolescents. Companion animals may be supportive of developing prosocial behavior in youth through practice with positive social interactions and the development of empathy and reciprocity skills. The goal of this study was to use a person‐centered approach to investigate if living with a pet (including pet species) is associated with profiles of adolescent peer social behaviors (i.e., prosocial, aggressive), and size of their peer network. Methods This study used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study®, a large, nationally representative data set of American adolescents. Results In a cross‐sectional sample of 5218 adolescents, we found that youth clustered into four different distinct profiles of peer social behavior. Female youth living with dogs were less likely to be in the High Aggression profile as compared to youth without pets or youth with other types of pets. However, having a pet was not associated with whether youth were in the profiles characterized by prosocial behaviors or size of peer network. Conclusions Overall, future research should explore how gender intersects with companion animal interactions—both in terms of frequency of interactions as well as relationship quality/emotional attachment—as well as examine these relationships over time to assess causality.
... Companion animals are also a source of healthy interaction and help in improving social behaviour within a society. It has been examined through many research studies that people having pets are socially more popular in a community even old persons and individuals with any kind of physical disability (Mader et al. 1988;McNicholas and Collis 2000;Wells 2004;Guéguen and Ciccotti 2008). Pet ownership is favourably correlated with feelings of neighbourhood friendliness and social interaction between neighbours, according to community-based surveys. ...
Chapter
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A common word used to describe the types of social attachments that frequently develop between humans and their pets are "human-animal bond".
... Indeed, the mere observation of a pet can attenuate physiological and psychological responses to negative and stressful situations, attenuating those stressful and anxious responses: for instance, it has been observed that the presence of a companion dog as well as interactions with friendly but unknown dogs momentary decrease the blood pressure and heart rate in individuals of different ages [8,12] (for an exhaustive review, see [9]). Moreover, other studies have shown that HAIs produce oxytocin, which impacts the central nervous system and in turn diminishes behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to distress (e.g., [35,36]). Indeed, there is increasing evidence suggesting that interacting with a pet appears to be as calming as is reading a book in silence (by lowering cortisol levels) [11,37]. ...
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This study is based on the conservation of resources theory and the recovery step model in order to further explore the furr-recovery method—a mechanism through which workers break their routine by taking micro-moments to interact with their “furry co-workers,” thus relieving their fatigue and tension or other negative affective states. Based on this, we argue that this method not only serves the purpose of restoring self-regulatory resources but also ameliorates mental health. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze how daily human–animal interactions during teleworking positively influence teleworkers’ mental health, via recovering their self-regulatory resources, at the within-person level. Full-time teleworkers completed multiple online surveys for 5 consecutive workdays (N = 211 × 5 = 1055 daily observations). Multilevel path analysis results showed that on days on which employees had more micro-moments to interact with their “furry co-workers” during the day, they experienced a higher self-regulatory capacity and felt better while working. In sum, the findings give support for the theoretical resource perspective of interacting with pets as an effective energy management strategy while at work. This research extends the theoretical understanding of regulatory resources as a cognitive mechanism that links HAIs to employee mental health. Moreover, the findings outlined here offer practical implications by highlighting the furr-recovery method, a method that teleworkers who own pets may use as a strategy during the working day to restore resources needed to be healthier.
... Aa small prospective observational study of older adults, revealed that heart rate variability, a stress indicator, was better (higher) when walking with a dog than when walking alone (Motooka et al., 2006). Older adults who walk their dog may also experience other benefits such as greater community engagement (Toohey et al., 2013;Wood et al., 2005), positive feelings about their neighbourhoods (Mein & Grant, 2018) and social benefits (Antonacopoulos & Pychyl, 2014;McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Taniguchi et al., 2018;Wells, 2004). Longitudinal studies have an advantage over cross-sectional studies in establishing a temporal relationship between exposure and outcomes. ...
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Background and Objectives Pet ownership or human-animal interaction has been associated with better health outcomes in individuals with disease or disability. We hypothesized that pet ownership, as well as dog ownership and cat ownership separately, are associated with maintaining physical function, and leisure time physical activity and that among dog owners, dog walking is associated with maintaining these outcomes for generally healthy community-dwelling older adults participating in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Research Design & Methods A total of 637 men (44.1%) and women aged 50-100 years (M=68.3, SD=9.6) completed a comprehensive pet ownership questionnaire that ascertained pet ownership history 10-13 years and had serial assessments of physical function every 1 to 4 years prior. Linear or generalized linear mixed models with time varying pet ownership were used to examine change in physical function over a mean of 7.5 years (range 1-13, SD=3.6) according to pet ownership. Results Pet owners (n=185) were significantly younger (p<0.001) and had fewer comorbidities (p=0.03) than non-owners; thus, age and comorbidities were included as covariates in the longitudinal analyses. Physical function and leisure time physical activity declined with ageing across all outcomes (p’s< 0.001); the decline was slower among pet owners in overall physical performance (p<0.001), rapid gait speed (p=0.03), usual gait speed (p=0.032), cardiorespiratory fitness (p<0.001), and physical well-being (p=0.002) controlling for age and comorbidities. Changes in leisure-time physical activities with aging did not differ between pet owners and non-owners. Dog walking was not independently related to maintenance of physical function or leisure time physical activity with aging. Discussion and Implications This study provides the first longitudinal evidence that pet ownership is associated with maintained physical function among community-dwelling generally healthy older adults.
... Not all dogs can promote interactions to the same degree (Wells, 2007). Wells (2004) found support for dogs' ability to facilitate social interactions; however, this finding was not a generic effect, but rather was a breed specific effect. In that study, experimenter interactions as measured by approach behaviors, were significantly greater when she was accompanied by the Labrador Retriever puppy or adult Labrador Retriever, compared to the adult Rottweiler dog. ...
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During social interactions, one must be able to interpret social signals that convey information and respond appropriately to interactants. Several factors have been shown to influence decisions of interpersonal distance preferences; however, research has yet to determine the associative effects companion animals may have on social information processing during intended interactions. Previous research (Briones et al., 2022) distinguished between various breeds of dogs perceived to be higher or lower in aggression, and further showed that people had a greater tendency to interact with dogs perceived to be lower in aggression. The current studies (Study 1 n = 174; Study 2 n = 229) were an extension of that research and used computer-simulated avatar interactions to assess the influence of dog breeds and other factors on actual proxemic behavior during goal-related social interactions. Results showed that during social interactions, (a) interactants associated with dog breeds perceived higher in aggressiveness elicited larger interpersonal spaces; (b) closer interpersonal distances are maintained with friends than strangers; (c) greater affinity for dogs, in general, was related to closer proxemic distances; and (d) dog handlers taking the perspective of the approaching interactant results in greater interpersonal distances.
... Dogs, the animals most commonly engaged in therapeutic settings [2], may enhance the social atmosphere and increase the frequency of conversation between people. This effect, called social catalysis, is somewhat influenced by dog breed [3]. ...
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Therapy animals in clinical settings are purported to reduce patients’ anxiety, decrease agitated behaviour, serve as social mediators, enhance the social atmosphere, and increase patients’ openness towards practitioners. A therapy dog worked alongside her exercise physiologist handler for approximately 1 day/week in a university clinic. The canine and handler functioned as a team, while the handler simultaneously undertook supervision of students. The clinic was open 24 h/week, and no other therapeutic animal was present for any part of the week. We explored, via surveys and interviews, human responses to the dog. The survey comprised 15 statement items regarding the canine’s role, behaviour, and acceptability in the clinic, ranked from strongly disagree (−2) to strongly agree (2), followed by an open item inviting participants to follow up interviews. Eleven (11) clinical clients and seven (7) students completed the survey. One client had not encountered the canine; these data were excluded. Four (4) participants from the client sample provided subsequent telephone interviews. All participants identified the canine as well-behaved; no participants considered that she detracted from their exercise sessions. Most participants were equivocal to statements regarding social lubrication and openness to practitioners; only three clients and two students identified that they felt more willing to share health information; three students identified that they felt they could confide more in the canine than in the practitioner. Interviewees’ reports were similarly favourable, reinforcing the information obtained from the surveys. Interview transcripts were subject to thematic analysis, which focussed around four key themes: (1) the canine’s good behaviour, (2) clients giving permission, and the canine as both (3) a pleasant distraction from the effort of exercise, and (4) nice to have. A therapy dog may enhance some aspects of exercise physiology service delivery.
... One might have expected dog owners to have reported greater psychological wellbeing than cat owners, given the reported merits of dogs in helping to enhance their owners' self-esteem, facilitate social contacts with others, and ward off feelings of depression and loneliness (e.g., Siegel, 1990;Zasloff & Kidd, 1994). That said, this study was conducted during a period of lockdown, when people were encouraged to socially distance; dog walking in this context, whilst normally serving as a strong social catalyst (e.g., McNicholas & Collis, 2000;Messent, 1983;Wells, 2004), may therefore have been perceived as a stressful activity by some owners. Other issues relevant to this particular timeframe, such as possible challenges in seeking veterinary care, accessing pet food, and even the expense involved in caring for an animal at a time when people's livelihoods were more insecure, may have played a role in negating any potential group-level health benefits for this specific cohort (see Applebaum et al., 2020;Shoesmith et al., 2021). ...
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Companion animal ownership has been associated with a wide variety of physical and psychological health benefits. The extent to which a person gains any welfare advantages from the animal in their care, however, may be related to a wide variety of factors, one of which is the quality of the human–animal relationship. Thus far, little attention has been devoted to the role of attachment to one's companion animal on psychological wellbeing during a global pandemic, a time when mental health has been shown to be extremely poor. Therefore this study aimed to explore the relationship between the quality of the companion animal–human bond and mental wellbeing during a period of COVID-19-induced national lockdown in the United Kingdom. A purpose-designed online survey that aimed to measure sociodemographic background, companion animal ownership status, attachment level, and various components of mental wellbeing (depression, loneliness, positive experience, stress) was developed and completed by 249 UK-based adults (146 companion animal owners, 103 non-owners). Analysis revealed no significant relationship between companion animal ownership and any of the mental health outcome measures. Attachment to one's companion animal, however, was found to be a strong predictor of mental wellbeing, with higher bonds of attachment associated with higher levels of depression, loneliness, and lower levels of positive experience. Attachment to one's companion animal was not significantly associated with participants’ stress levels. Overall, findings from this study point to emotional vulnerability in people who are highly attached to their companion animal, although limitations must be borne in mind. This is an area worthy of further exploration, particularly considering the pandemic-induced rise in the number of people who have acquired a companion animal and the increment in mental health problems that has been predicted to emerge from COVID-19.
... Caring for an animal can give owners routine, life structure and purpose [59,61,62], even potentially helping in suicide prevention [25,63]. Dog presence/company is an important social lubricant [60,[64][65][66] and is potentially a source of social support [45]. Interestingly, dog training led the rating score of most eudaimonic elements (e.g., environmental mastery, personal growth). ...
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Cross-sectional comparisons of well-being between dog owners and non-owners commonly generate inconsistent results. Focusing on the uniqueness of the relationship might help address this issue and provide a stronger foundation for dog-related psychotherapeutic interventions. This study aims to evaluate the impact of dog-related activities (e.g., exercising the dog) on owner hedonic well-being, life satisfaction and eudaimonic well-being. It was also hypothesised that psychological closeness to the dog would affect these well-being outcomes. For this study, 1030 dog owners aged over 18 years old answered an online questionnaire about the impact of 15 groups of dog-related activities on their well-being. Ordinal regressions were used to estimate the mean response (and its uncertainty) for each outcome, while conditioning for psychological closeness to the dog and controlling for several key covariates. Tactile interactions and dog playing were significantly more beneficial than other activities for hedonic well-being, and dog training and dog presence for eudaimonic well-being. In contrast, dog health issues and behavioural problems were linked to decrements in these well-being outcomes. Higher psychological closeness to the dog predicted greater improvement in well-being in positive dog-related activities. Our quantitative study validates the general findings of previous qualitative work and lays the groundwork for future longitudinal studies.
... Human-animal interaction may also support humans' motivation and social inclusion (Silcox et al., 2014) as well as their ability to set goals and their confidence in achieving them. Animals can offer attachment and caregiving relations (Zilcha-Mano et al., 2012) and act as social catalysts that increase trust from strangers (Wells, 2004) and clients (Julius et al., 2013;Schneider & Harley, 2006). ...
Article
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Rehabilitation psychology is based on the biopsychosocial model of health and thus includes attention to psychosocial support needs after loss of somatic functions. Human–animal interaction may augment several kinds of treatment and support. Both fields are relatively new, and their intersection has been sparsely explored. This article introduces the fields, elaborates on three intersections between them, and discusses psychologists’ roles in these. The elaborations are based on reviews and exemplars of contributions in human-animal interaction research, and we advocate and apply the IAHAIO standards for terminology and human and animal welfare that have become the consensus view for about 100 organizations across the globe.
... Los perros como mascota han sido importantes para las sociedades humanas antiguas; su función ha pasado de ser guardia, protección y compañía durante la caza, a ser parte de un fenómeno ampliamente distribuido en países industrializados, en donde los perros tienen una relación socioemocional compleja con sus propietarios y son tratados muchas veces como si fueran niños (15). La popularidad de los perros domésticos en la sociedad moderna, está respaldada por investigaciones científicas que muestran que tener un perro como mascota mejora la salud física y mental de las personas en diferentes aspectos como: mejora de la condición física y salud cardiovascular, disminuye la depresión y el estrés, además de facilitar el contacto social interpersonal (15,16). ...
Chapter
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Aunque no se ha comprobado el origen zoonótico de SARS-COV-2, se especula que probablemente es un virus procedente de murciélagos asiáticos. Se han publicado reportes de la infección natural de COVID-19 en mascotas (perros, gatos y hurones), animales de granja (visones) y en animales silvestres en cautiverio (leones, tigres, y gorilas). De manera experimental y mediante modelación computacional, se sabe que el virus pudiera afectar a muchas especies, por lo que es urgente analizar la situación y riesgos que enfrentan los animales en la pandemia actual, ya que pueden ser los más indefensos, además donde se ha comprobado el riesgo de que el virus salte de animales a humanos. El objetivo de este trabajo es mostrar el impacto negativo de la pandemia sobre la salud y el bienestar de mamíferos terrestres. Hasta el momento se han identificado amenazas como abandono y sacrificio de mascotas (perros y gatos), sacrificio de millones de animales de granja como visones, además de ataques a poblaciones de murciélagos. El desconocimiento generalizado de la población sobre las medidas de bioseguridad que se deben de mantener si manejan o son tutores de animales, sobre todo si las personas portan el SARS-COV-2, ha llevado a que el virus salte de los seres humanos a animales. El enfoque de Una Sola Salud desde la transdisciplinariedad debe emplearse para promover medidas precautorias que eviten la afectación de nuevas especies animales domésticas o silvestres por el virus, ya que tiene el potencial para adaptarse a nuevos reservorios tanto domésticos como silvestres.
... Prior research also links gazing at and/or petting animals with increased oxytocin and/or vasopressin concentrations in adults [143,169]. Beetz et al. [140] proposed that the release of oxytocin, as a result of close/affiliative bonds with a pet, may mediate relations between HAI and positive outcomes, such as increased social interactions [17,180,181], decreases in cortisol levels [182], and improved mental health (e.g., decreases in anxiety and depressive symptoms; [183], see for a review [156]). In addition, stress-response benefits associated with oxytocin release are hypothesized to occur as a result of HAI due to the presence of a pet decreasing perceived threat [82,184,185]. ...
Article
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There is a paucity of research exploring how relationships with household pets may impact maternal mental health. We are unaware of any study to date that has examined associations between individuals’ relationships with their pets and psychological adjustment in the perinatal period. Using a biobehavioral lens, this paper provides a narrative overview of the literature on perinatal mental health and human–animal interaction (HAI). We focus on the role of social relationships, stress, and stress reduction in relation to perinatal mental health; the role of HAI in perceptions of social support, stressors, and stress reduction; and gaps in empirical knowledge concerning the role of HAI in perinatal mental health. Finally, we integrate contemporary biobehavioral models of perinatal mental health and HAI (i.e., Comprehensive Model of Mental Health during the Perinatal Period and the HAI–HPA Transactional Model) to propose a new conceptual framework that depicts ways in which HAI during the perinatal period may influence maternal and child health and wellbeing. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to consider the role of HAI in biobehavioral responses and mental health during the perinatal period. We conclude with recommendations for future research and improved perinatal care.
... Dogs may also act as catalysts for social interactions, which may subsequently foster social capital (McNicholas and Collis, 2000;Wells, 2004). Social capital generally refers to the resources and benefits available to individuals or groups through their social connections (Kawachi, 2010). ...
Article
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Evidence for social pathways to health benefits for dog owners appears positive but less well developed. Our study aimed to estimate the differences in social capital by dog ownership and dog walking status among young-to-middle aged adults and older adults in Japan. Data from 3,606 residents living in Japan were used. Data on social capital, dog ownership, and dog walking were collected by questionnaires. Age-stratified multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate differences in social capital scores by dog ownership and dog walking status. Among young-to-middle aged adults, the mean of the activities with neighbours score, adjusted for covariates, was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for the dog owner walkers group compared to the non-dog owners group. Among older adults, no significant differences in the marginal means of social capital scores were observed between the three groups of non-dog owners, dog owner non-walkers, and dog owner walkers. While the benefits of social capital for a healthy lifestyle have been well-documented, few means have been identified to intervene in social capital. Building on and expanding the known health benefits of dog ownership and dog walking, this study revealed modest support for the link between dog walking and activities with neighbours among young-to-middle aged adults, but no meaningful associations were found for older adults. Additionally, no significant link was observed between dog walking and social cohesion among either age group. Future research can further improve the use of dog-based behavioural health interventions for fostering social capital.
... In one study, strangers interacted with a researcher who was either alone or with a teddy bear, a plant, or a dog. Consistently, the participants were more engaged with the researcher when the dog was also present (Wells, 2004). Other studies have examined the longterm effects the presence of a dog can have on sociability. ...
Article
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To gain an edge in performance, athletes, coaches, trainers, and sport psychologists worldwide leverage findings from psychological research to develop training and performance strategies. The field of sport psychology draws upon research on stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and team building to develop these strategies. Here, we introduce human-animal interaction as a potential area of research that may apply to athletic performance. Structured interactions with animals—particularly therapy dogs—can provide physiological benefits associated with stress and the oxytocin system, psychological benefits for anxiety and motivation, and social benefits through social support. Yet these effects have not yet been systematically investigated in athletes. Integration of human-animal interactions into athletics can occur through animal visitation programmes and resident therapy animal programmes. Integrating human-animal interactions into athletics presents some unique challenges and limitations that must be considered before implementing these programmes, and these interactions are not a panacea that will work in every situation. But, given the amount of human-animal interaction research suggesting benefits in medicine, mental health, and education contexts, it is worthwhile exploring potential benefits not just for athletic performance, but also for injury prevention and recovery. Highlights • Human–animal interaction is a potential area of research that may apply to athletic performance. • Structured interactions with animals can provide physiological, psychological, and social benefits to athletes, through it is not a panacea that will work in every situation. • Integrating human–animal interactions into athletics presents some unique challenges and limitations that must be considered before implementing these programs.
... Those include college students (Binfet & Passmore, 2016;Crossman & Kazdin, 2015), nursing homes (Majic et al., 2013;Williams & Jenkins, 2008), cancer care (Marcus, 2012), psychotherapy ( Jones et al., 2018), elementary schools ( Jalongo et al., 2004), prisoners (Walsh & Mertin, 1994), palliative care centers (Chur-Hansen, et al., 2014), and workplaces (Foreman et al., 2017). Benefits are thought to include increased positive emotions and reduced anxiety (Crossman et al., 2018;Foreman et al., 2017), increased satisfaction with life and connectedness to campus (Binfet & Passmore, 2016), patient rapport with therapy (Kruger & Serpell, 2010;Jones et al., 2018), increased positive social interactions (Wells, 2004), and stabilized behavioral and psychological symptoms (Majic et al., 2013). ...
Article
Therapy dogs are used in a variety of settings, including prisons, hospitals, and schools, for the purposes of providing emotional and psychological support to humans. They are trained to be well behaved and to be perceived as supportive of humans. This study sought to explore the benefits to the human individuals who facilitate trained therapy sessions. Specifically considered were the ways in which therapy dog ownership is a form of serious leisure and the ways in which that leisure influences owners’ day-to-day lives. Findings suggest owners of therapy dogs experience enhanced personal enrichment, relationship with dog(s), and sense of responsibility. Implications for research and practice are discussed and include health-related components. FULL TEXT AVAILABLE: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/paij/vol3/iss1/5
... The content of the conversations was not analysed so the precise reason for this difference is unclear, however, the child may have identified the handler as the TD's owner, living with it and having a relationship with it and thus having more to say about it if questioned compared to the TR. Studies of the benefits of dog ownership have noted the "social catalyst effect", whereby the presence of a dog often increases the amount of social engagement an individual receives from other people resulting in a sense of increased wellbeing [57,58], and increased communication has similarly been evidenced in TR research [59]. Future work could profitably explore the role of social interaction within the AAI/RAI framework, ensuring that the children consider both TAaRs as owned by the handler. ...
Article
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Social robots are being used increasingly across a range of settings, including in the context of therapeutic interactions with children. While research has shown that interaction with live therapy dogs can be calming and enjoyable for children, it is currently unclear whether social robots can produce similar outcomes. In this study, 11–12-year old children completed a questionnaire about their biophilic beliefs and attitudes to dogs and robots before engaging in two separate free-play, non-goal directed, non-therapeutic sessions with an interactive biomimetic MiRo-E robot and a living therapy dog in a controlled setting. Behavioural observations of social interaction, initiation and reaction behaviours by the child and dog/robot showed that participants spent a similar amount of time engaging in positive social touch with the robot and the dog, but overall more time interacting with the robot. This may be because the robot was more responsive to the children’s initiation behaviours. In self-report, participants significantly preferred the session with the living dog. However, overall enjoyment was high and more positive emotions were reported following interaction with the robot. The more participants attributed mental attributes and animacy to the dog/robot, the more they enjoyed the interactions, demonstrating that participants’ animistic beliefs were an important factor in their evaluations. Levels of social interaction did not correlate with enjoyment, suggesting that the nature of the interaction was less important than pre-existing participant attitudes in producing reported positive outcomes. Although there were some differences in behaviour and evaluations, these preliminary results suggest that MiRo-E provides a useful comparison to therapy dogs and may be a suitable alternative for use in interventions with children.
... Similar effects were found in children with visible disabilities in a mall or at a playground (Mader et al., 1989). People without disabilities also received more positive attention from strangers in public when they were accompanied by dogs (Wells, 2004). These results were found in a cultural context of Western civilization and cannot be generalized to cultures with different perceptions of animals (see also Bresalier et al.,Chapter 1,this volume). ...
Chapter
The second edition of this book contains 32 chapters divided into 4 main sections that discuss the theoretical foundations of One Health; methods, skills and perspectives for the practice of One Health; the application of One Health in infectious and non-infectious diseases and governance and capacity building, all of which are related to the global issues of the prevention and control of animal, plant and human diseases in the wake of drug resistance by pathogens, biodiversity loss, natural disasters, climate change and the recent COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic.
... Allen et al., 2001Allen et al., , 2002Friedmann, Thomas, Cook, Tsai, Picot, 2007;Friedmann et al., 1983;Vormbrock & Grossberg, 1988 Menor cantidad de consultas médicas realizadas y de problemas médicos no complejos. Headey & Grabka, 2007;Serpell, 1991;Siegel, 1990 Mayores medidas de bienestar percibido, menor percepción de estrés y de sentimientos de soledad Krause-Parello & Gulick, 2014;Lee & Chai, 2015;Zasloff & Kidd, 1994 Mayor autoestima, menor sensación de abatimiento y mayor percepción de capacidad y autoeficacia Covert, Whiren, Keith, & Nelson, 1985;Zilcha-Mano et al. 2011 Incremento y facilitación de interacciones sociales Charles & Davies, 2008;Guéguen & Ciccotti, 2008;Hart, Hart, & Bergin, 1987;Robins et al., 1991;Wells, 2004;Wood, Giles-Corti, Bulsara, & Bosch, 2007 animales se asocian con más salud y bienestar en los seres humanos (Martens et al., 2016). Por ejemplo, algunas circunstancias vitales que hacen surgir necesidades de acompañamiento pueden ser aliviadas por las mascotas, como cuando una enfermedad reduce la movilidad de las personas (Allen & Blascovich, 1996), cuando estas tienen acceso limitado a fuentes de apoyo social (Allen et al., 2001) o cuando viven solas (Zasloff & Kidd, 1994). ...
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Mental health problems and suicide are more frequent in autistic adults than general population. Dog ownership can improve human well-being. This study aimed to generate a framework of well-being outcomes for dog-related activities in autistic adults and compare it to the framework generated for a general adult population. Thirty-six autistic dog owners (18–74 years old, 18 males) from diverse UK regions were interviewed and transcripts thematically analysed. 16.7% reported that their dogs prevented them from taking their own lives, mainly due to the dog's affection and the need to care for the animal. Close dog-owner interactions (e.g., cuddling, walking, dog's presence) were the most frequent activities improving emotions/moods and life functioning, whereas routine-like activities (e.g., feeding the animal) particularly enhanced life functioning. Well-being worsening was mainly linked to dog behaviour problems, dog poor health/death and obligations to the dog. Despite some negatives associated with ownership, having a dog could improve the well-being of many autistic adults and assist suicide prevention strategies in this high-risk group. The framework was consistent with that generated previously, indicating its robustness and the potential opportunity to focus on dog-related activities rather than the vague concept of “ownership” when considering the impact of ownership on well-being.
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Este libro busca analizar el impacto producido por el SARS-COV-2, causante de la COVID-19. Dentro de un marco interdisciplinario y con enfoque específico en la salud. El manuscrito comienza con la descripción del posible origen y características biológicas del SARS-COV-2, cuestiones que, la comunidad científica respondió con una velocidad vertiginosa en el transcurso del año anterior: la generación de conocimiento fue tan rápida que en pocos días se tenía ya reportada la secuencia completa del virus. En los primeros capítulos, se abordarán temas importantes como las complicaciones pulmonares y extrapulmonares, las consecuencias psicológicas, alimentarias y educativas; así como los cambios concernientes a la contaminación atmosférica y los que se han producido en relación a la convivencia con animales por el confinamiento. En otros capítulos no menos importantes, se describirán las declaraciones, normas y códigos relacionados con la ética e investigación en el área de la salud, que ante el panorama que enfrentamos han sido fundamentales para establecer los protocolos clínicos que enmarcan la búsqueda de nuevos fármacos y la atención médica. Se analizará en particular, la atención que actualmente reciben los pacientes infantiles con cáncer en una institución de beneficencia que brinda cuidados integrales. Se abordará también el tema relativo a las secuelas psicológicas en los trabajadores de la salud en el contexto de un hospital público del estado de Puebla y por último se comentará sobre la asignación de recursos en el sistema. En su conjunto, este estudio representa el marco de las próximas decisiones en políticas públicas para lograr una interacción armónica entre el hombre, los animales y su ambiente.
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This article aims to encourage the critical reflection of frequently used explanatory approaches in the field of animal-assisted interventions. In addition to considerations on validity and limitations of explanatory approaches, they are considered on the basis of scientific quality criteria. The following explanatory approaches are investigated: Biophilia, du-evidence, mirror neurons, oxytocin, attachment theory, social catalyst. In addition, suggestions are made for dealing with the presented explanatory approaches. A critical examination of the explanatory approaches in the field of research should make it possible to improve publications in this area in the long term.
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A 10-month prospective study was carried out which examined changes in behaviour and health status in 71 adult subjects following the acquisition of a new pet (either dogs or cats). A group of 26 subjects without pets served as a comparison over the same period. Both pet-owning groups reported a highly significant reduction in minor health problems during the first month following pet acquisition, and this effect was sustained in dog owners through to 10 months. The pet-acquiring groups also showed improvements in their scores on the 30-item General Health Questionnaire over the first 6 months and, in dog owners, this improvement was maintained until 10 months. In addition, dog owners took considerably more physical exercise while walking their dogs than the other two groups, and this effect continued throughout the period of study. The group without pets exhibited no statistically significant changes in health or behaviour, apart from a small increase in recreational walking. The results provide evidence that pet acquisition may have positive effects on human health and behaviour, and that in some cases these effects are relatively long term.
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In order to examine pet ownership and pet attachment as factors supporting the health of the elderly, a national probability sample of Americans 65 years of age and older was drawn. Participants answered telephone survey questions regarding pet ownership, life stress, social support, depression, and recent illness. In multiple regression analyses, pet ownership failed to predict depression and illness behavior, while pet attachment significantly predicted depression but not illness experience. In a group with particularly great distress (the bereaved), pet ownership and strong attachment were significantly associated with less depression only when the number of available confidants was minimal.
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Topics include: importance of pets in quality of life and for some vulnerable individuals (effects of companion animals on loneliness and depression, socializing effects of animals, motivating effects of animals, effects of animals in mobilizing attention and calming); normalizing effects of animals (facilitating normal development, ameliorating emotional crises and extenuating circumstances); and individuality in human responses to animals (personal history with animals during the life cycle, attachment and compatibility). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Autonomic responses were measured while 45 adult women performed a standard experimental stress task in the laboratory with only the experimenter present and 2 weeks later at home in the presence of a female friend, pet dog, or neither. Results demonstrated that autonomic reactivity was moderated by the presence of a companion, the nature of whom was critical to the size and direction of the effect. Ss in the friend condition exhibited higher physiological reactivity and poorer performance than subjects in the control and pet conditions. Ss in the pet condition showed less physiological reactivity during stressful tasks than Ss in the other conditions. The results are interpreted in terms of the degree to which friends and pets are perceived as evaluative during stressful task performance. Physiological reactivity was consistent across the laboratory and field settings.
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The findings of this study confirm the independent importance of social factors in the determination of health status. Social data obtained during patients' hospitalization can be valuable in discriminating 1-year survivors. These social data can add to the prognostic discrimination beyond the effects of the well-known physiological predictors. More information is needed about all forms of human companionship and disease. Thus, it is important that future investigations of prognosis in various disease states include measures of the patient's social and psychological status with measures of disease severity. The phenomenon of pet ownership and the potential value of pets as a source of companionship activity or attention deserved more careful attention that that recorded in the literature. Almost half of the homes in the United States have some kind of pet. Yet, to our knowledge, no previous studies have included pet ownership among the social variables examined to explain disease distribution. Little cost is incurred by the inclusion of pet ownership in such studies, and it is certainly by the importance of pets in the lives of people today and the long history of association between human beings and companion animals. The existence of pets as important household members should be considered by those who are responsible for medical treatment. The need to care for a pet or to arrange for its care may delay hospitalization; it may also be a source of concern for patients who are hospitalized. Recognition of this concern by physicians, nurses, and social workers may alleviate emotional stress among such patients. The therapeutic uses of pets have been considered for patients hospitalized with mental illnesses and the elderly. The authors suggest that patients with coronary heart disease should also be included in this consideration. Large numbers of older patients with coronary heart disease are socially isolated and lonely. While it is not yet possible to conclude that pet ownership is beneficial to these patients, pets are an easily attainable source of psychological comfort with relatively few risks.
Book
The original edition was the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of the ways in which animals can assist therapists with treatment of specific populations, and/or in specific settings. The second edition continues in this vein, with 7 new chapters plus substantial revisions of continuing chapters as the research in this field has grown. New coverage includes: Animals as social supports, Use of AAT with Special Needs students, the role of animals in the family- insights for clinicians, and measuring the animal-person bond. *Contributions from veterinarians, animal trainers, psychologists, and social workers *Includes guidelines and best practices for using animals as therapeutic companions *Addresses specific types of patients and environmental situations.
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Although the socializing role of dogs for people has been well documented, the effectiveness of less active animals in precipitating social interactions is not known. This study examined whether a rabbit or a turtle when accompanied by a young woman confederate sitting in a park would attract unfamiliar adults and children and result in social interchange. For comparison, the woman also sat blowing bubbles or with an operating television set. Behaviors of the approaching adults and children were noted, and conversations were tape recorded. Social approaches were frequent when the woman was sitting with the rabbit or blowing bubbles, were numerous when she was sitting with the turtle, and were virtually absent when she was watching television. The rabbit attracted the most adults. Approaching adults and children talked primarily about the stimulus and themselves and made few references to the confederate. In a friendly community setting and without special effort or obvious need by the confederate, unobtrusive animals evoked social approaches and conversations from unfamiliar adults and children.
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The evidence that people form strong attachments with their pets is briefly reviewed before identifying the characteristics of such relationships, which include pets being a source of security as well as the objects of caregiving. In evolutionary terms, pet ownership poses a problem, since attachment and devoting resources to another species are, in theory, fitness-reducing. Three attempts to account for pet keeping are discussed, as are the problems with these views. Pet keeping is placed into the context of other forms of interspecific associations. From this, an alternative Darwinian explanation is proposed: pets are viewed as manipulating human responses that had evolved to facilitate human relationships, primarily (but not exclusively) those between parent and child. The precise mechanisms that enable pets to elicit caregiving from humans are elaborated. They involve features that provide the initial attraction, such as neotenous characteristics, and those that enable the human owner to derive continuing satisfaction from interacting with the pet, such as the attribution of mental processes to human-like organisms. These mechanisms can, in some circumstances, cause pet owners to derive more satisfaction from their pet relationship than those with humans, because they supply a type of unconditional relationship that is usually absent from those with other human beings.
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This study investigated the effects of animal-assisted therapy (A-AT) on self-reported depression in a college population. Forty-four participants were selected on the basis of scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). They then were assigned to one of three groups: A-AT in conjunction with psychotherapy (directive group), A-AT only (nondirective group), and control. Standardized regressed BDI posttest scores were used as dependent variables in one-way analysis of variance with treatment as the independent variable. Results revealed significant differences among groups, F(2,41)=3.69, p<.05. Duncan's Multiple Ranges Test indicated that standardized regressed BDI post-test scores differed significantly between nondirective (M=5.67) and control groups (M=10.18).
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Five major British daily newspapers (4 broadsheets and 1 tabloid) and their related Sunday editions were monitored over a 5-year period (1988 to 1992 inclusive) to locate articles on dog attacks on humans. From 1989 to 1991 (inclusive) there was intense media interest in dog attacks whereas in 1988 and 1992 there was little. In 1989 and 1990, German Shepherds and Rottweilers were most often reported as the attacking dog but the Rottweiler suffered disproportionate negative publicity. Breed registration figures reflected the media interest with a dramatic drop in Rottweiler numbers. In 1991, the American Pit Bull Terrier was most often in the news and the government hastily introduced new dog legislation, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. It is suggested that the media, public, and government response is an overreaction to the generally held ideal that the dog's position in society is as a loyal and faithful companion. The dog's position in society therefore appears to be inherently unstable. With real or even perceived increases in unacceptable behavior by these animals, the species, or at the very least certain breeds of dog, could rapidly lose public favor and acceptance.
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Approaches by human passers-by to a Golden Retriever puppy with a human companion were tallied as the puppy aged from ten weeks to 33 weeks. Over this period, approaches were most numerous when the puppy was youngest, with females approaching more than males during the first half of sampling, but equaling male approaches during the second half. Both the number of human approaches and the proportions of males and females were independent of the sex of the puppy's human companion. The results suggest a human, and especially a female, preference for canine juvenescence.
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Social stimulation is a valuable aspect of therapeutic activities at long-term care facilities, designed to decrease social isolation, maintain or stimulate mental abilities, and increase awareness of the external environment. A study was undertaken at two such facilities to compare the effectiveness of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) with Non-Animal Therapy (NAT) at providing social stimulation, that is, at providing opportunities for patients to engage in social interaction and to initiate social behaviors. While studies have indicated that AAT can improve resident outlook or affect, few have directly studied the social behaviors that might lead to such improvements, or the role the animals themselves might play. We observed 33 patients, both alert and semi- to non-alert, during regular recreational therapy sessions. Most patients were women (29 vs. four men), and geriatric (in their 70's and 80's). Non-Animal Therapies included Arts and Crafts and Snack Bingo, while AAT involved animals from local animal shelters being brought by volunteers to group sessions. Social behaviors naturally divided into Brief Conversations, Long Conversations, and Touch. We determined frequencies and rates of the behaviors, who initiated the behaviors and whether the behaviors were directed at other people or at the animals. Overall, during AAT residents were involved in as much or more conversation with others, including the animals, as residents in Non-Animal Therapy, and were more likely to initiate and participate in longer conversations. The finding that different kinds of therapies seem to encourage different kinds of conversation might be an important consideration when investigating health benefits. The most dramatic differences between therapy types were found in rates of touch: touching the animals during AAT added significantly to resident engagement in, and initiation of, this behavior. Since touch is considered an important part of social stimulation and therapy, the enhancement of this social behavior by the animals is an important, and perhaps undervalued, effect.
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Every year sees an increase in the number of dogs admitted to rescue shelters. However well these dogs are cared for in the shelter it cannot be ignored that being in such a situation is stressful and the time spent in the shelter may change the dogs' behaviour which may in turn influence their chances of being bought from the shelter. This research examined the behaviour of stray and unwanted dogs on their first, third and fifth days in an Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) shelter. A questionnaire was also distributed to members of the public to determine how popular the USPCA was as a place from where to purchase a dog, and what factors about a dog's physical characteristics, behaviour and environment influenced potential buyers. Results revealed no significant difference between the behaviour of stray and unwanted dogs although the public viewed stray dogs as much less desirable than unwanted dogs. Time in the shelter had no adverse effects on the dogs' behaviour. Indeed those changes which did occur during captivity, dogs being more relaxed in the presence of people and eating food more quickly, may be considered as positive changes. The USPCA was viewed as a popular place from which to buy a dog. Off actors influencing the public's choice, the dog's environment and behaviour appeared more important than its physical characteristics. The presence of a toy in the dog's cage greatly increased the public's preference for the dog, although the toy was ignored by the dog. The welfare implications of sheltering dogs are discussed
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Despite the widespread ownership of pet animals in American families, there is very little analysis of the role of pets in child development. This paper will examine the influence of pet animals on child development; the impact of pet loss and bereavement on children; the problem of child cruelty to animals and its relationship to child abuse; and the role of pets in both normal and disturbed families. The authors will also review their own research study of adult prisoners and juveniles in institutions in regard to their experiences with pet animals.
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150 boys and 150 girls between the ages of 3 and 13 yrs were individually interviewed using a series of open-ended questions to analyze the Ss' attitudes toward their pets. It was hypothesized that (1) the cognitive elements would progress from preoperational to concrete operations at 7 yrs of age and to formal operations at 13 yrs of age, (2) the affective elements would progress from egocentricity to empathy and perspective taking, and (3) behavioral elements would progress from dependence on situational cues to caring behavior based on realistically assessed characteristics of pets. Although data support the 2nd and 3rd hypotheses, the cognitive elements progressed only from preoperational to concrete operations. There was no evidence that the 13-yr-olds had entered the formal operations stage. Other data indicate that 90% owned pets but 99.3% wanted pets, a significant indication of children's overall positive attitude toward pets. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Article
Discusses the role of selection based on particular human propensities in the evolution of artifacts. Changes in teddy bear appearance since 1903 are related to K. Lorenz's (1950) suggestion that certain key features elicit nurturance and affection and that dolls and cartoon characters are influenced by this dynamic. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Article
The effect of the presence of a friendly animal on children's blood pressures and heart rates while resting and their cardiovascular responses to verbalization were examined. The presence of the dog resulted in lower blood pressures both while the children (N = 38) were resting and while they were reading. The effect of the presence of the dog was greater when the dog was present initially than when it was introduced in the second half of the experiment. We speculate that the animal causes the children to modify their perceptions of the experimental situation and the experimenter by making both less threatening and more friendly. This study provides insight into the use of pets as adjuncts in psychotherapy. (C) Williams & Wilkins 1983. All Rights Reserved.
Article
It is known that pet dogs can act as catalysts for human social interactions, and it has been suggested that this may enhance feelings of well-being. Two studies were carried out to establish the robustness of this effect. In Study 1, a highly trained dog was used to ensure that the dog itself did not solicit attention from passers-by, and data were collected across a range of normal daily activities in which a dog could be included, not confined to conventional dog walking areas as in previous studies. Being accompanied by a dog increased the frequency of social interactions, especially interactions with strangers. In Study 2, also using a trained dog, a different (male) participant observer was dressed either smartly or scruffily. Although there were significantly more interactions when he was smartly dressed, the greatest effect was between the Dog present and No Dog conditions irrespective of the handler's dress. It is concluded that the social catalysis effect is very robust, which opens the way for investigating possible consequences of the effect for wellbeing and health.
Article
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Queen's University of Belfast, 1996.
Article
To compare risk factors for cardiovascular disease in pet owners and non-owners. Accepted risk factors for cardiovascular disease were measured in 5741 participants attending a free, screening clinic at the Baker Medical Research Institute in Melbourne. Blood pressure, plasma cholesterol and triglyceride values were compared in pet owners (n = 784) and non-owners (n = 4957). Pet owners had significantly lower systolic blood pressure and plasma triglycerides than non-owners. In men, pet owners had significantly lower systolic but not diastolic blood pressure than non-owners, and significantly lower plasma triglyceride levels, and plasma cholesterol levels. In women over 40 years old, systolic but not diastolic pressure was significantly lower in pet owners and plasma triglycerides also tended to be lower. There were no differences in body mass index and self-reported smoking habits were similar, but pet owners reported that they took significantly more exercise than non-owners, and ate more meat and "take-away" foods. The socioeconomic profile of the pet owners and non-owners appeared to be comparable. Pet owners in our clinic population had lower levels of accepted risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and this was not explicable on the basis of cigarette smoking, diet, body mass index or socioeconomic profile. The possibility that pet ownership reduces cardiovascular risk factors should therefore be investigated.
Article
Recent research on human-dog interactions showed that talking to and petting a dog are accompanied by lower blood pressure (BP) in the person than human conversation. To clarify whether cognition, conditioning, or tactual contact exerted the major influence in this so-called "pet effect," 60 male and female undergraduates with either positive or neutral attitudes toward dogs interacted with a dog tactually, verbally, and visually while BP and heart rate were recorded automatically. Results revealed that (a) subjects' BP levels were lowest during dog petting, higher while talking to the dog, and highest while talking to the experimenter and (b) subjects' heart rates were lower while talking or touching the dog and higher while both touching and talking to the dog. Touch appeared to be major component of the pet effect, while cognitive factors contributed to a lesser degree. Implications for coping with hypertension are discussed, and suggestions for further research are stated.
Article
Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate were recorded in 24 subjects during 3 9-minute measurement sessions in which they petted an unknown dog, petted a dog with whom a companion bond had been established, or read quietly. Based on the findings of this study, several conclusions were drawn: (1) There is a significant difference in changes over time in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure between petting a dog with whom a companion bond has been established and petting a dog with whom no bond exists; (2) the decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure that occur during petting a dog with whom a companion bond has been established parallel the relaxation effect of quiet reading; and (3) there is a " greeting response" to the entry of a dog with whom a companion bond has been established, which results in significantly higher systolic and diastolic pressures than the response either to an unknown dog or to reading.
Article
Social support and pet ownership, a nonhuman form of social support, have both been associated with increased coronary artery disease survival. The independent effects of pet ownership, social support, disease severity, and other psychosocial factors on 1-year survival after acute myocardial infarction are examined prospectively. The Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial provided physiologic data on a group of post-myocardial infarction patients with asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmias. An ancillary study provided psychosocial data, including pet ownership, social support, recent life events, future life events, anxiety, depression, coronary prone behavior, and expression of anger. Subjects (n = 424) were randomly selected from patients attending participating Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial sites and completed baseline psychosocial questionnaires. One year survival data were obtained from 369 patients (87%), of whom 112 (30.4%) owned pets and 20 (5.4%) died. Logistic regression indicates that high social support (p < 0.068) and owning a pet (p = 0.085) tend to predict survival independent of physiologic severity and demographic and other psychosocial factors. Dog owners (n = 87, 1 died) are significantly less likely to die within 1 year than those who did not own dogs (n = 282, 19 died; p < 0.05); amount of social support is also an independent predictor of survival (p = 0.065). Both pet ownership and social support are significant predictors of survival, independent of the effects of the other psychosocial factors and physiologic status. These data confirm and extend previous findings relating pet ownership and social support to survival among patients with coronary artery disease.
Article
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the presence of friends, spouses, and pets on cardiovascular reactivity to psychological and physical stress. Cardiovascular reactivity was examined among 240 married couples, half of whom owned a pet. Mental arithmetic and cold pressor were performed in one of four randomly assigned social support conditions: alone, with pet or friend (friend present for non-pet owners), with spouse, with spouse and pet/friend. Relative to people without pets, people with pets had significantly lower heart rate and blood pressure levels during a resting baseline, significantly smaller increases (ie, reactivity) from baseline levels during the mental arithmetic and cold pressor, and faster recovery. Among pet owners, the lowest reactivity and quickest recovery was observed in the pet-present conditions. People perceive pets as important, supportive parts of their lives, and significant cardiovascular and behavioral benefits are associated with those perceptions.
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