Aline H. Kidd’s research while affiliated with University of California, Davis and other places

Although tank fish are currently the most popular "pets" in the USA, literature reporting studies on the benefits, problems, and characteristics of home aquarium ownership is extremely limited. Because it seemed important to learn more about people who enjoy owning and caring for home aquaria, 50 men and 50 women were interviewed in several area stores which provide and sell living fish and adjunct products necessary for maintaining good home aquarium environments. Major problems reported by home aquarium owners were the expensive equipment, especially the tanks and controls for water temperature, circulation, and chemical balances, the tank maintenance, and tank cleanliness. Major benefits mentioned by such owners were the calming, relaxation, and stress-reduction effects of just watching fish which lessened anxieties and created a sense of serenity. These findings help to explain the current popularity of the live inhabitants of home aquaria.

Because several recent studies suggested that adults who fed only wild birds would report having different problems and benefits than did pet bird owners who also fed wild birds, and pet bird only owners, the present study added data to clarify such differences. 150 adults were selected so that 50 persons (25 men and 25 women) each were classified into one of three groups: those who only owned pet birds, those who owned pet birds and also fed wild birds, and those who only fed wild birds. There were no significant differences between men and women in any of the three groups, and no significant differences in their responses. The 50 people who fed wild birds only reported having added problems with neighbors' cats, bees, ants, squirrels, blue jays, and other oppressive larger birds, but the 50 pet bird owners who also fed wild birds and the owners of pet birds only reported the same problems with minor differences in type and number of interlopers. Clearly, all bird lovers shared similar characteristics, feelings, and behaviors toward birds and acknowledged the minor differences in attitudes toward the benefits and problems created by the birds' various interactions and behaviors with humans.

Because several recent studies suggested that adults who fed only wild birds would report having different problems and benefits than did !,et bird owners who also fed wild birds, and pet bird only owners, the present study added data to clarify such differences. 150 adults were selected so that 50 persons (25 men and 25 women) each were classified into one of three groups: those who only owned pet birds, those who owned pet birds and also fed wild birds, and those who only fed wild birds. There were no significant differences between men and women in any of the three groups, and no significant differences in their responses. The 50 people who fed wild birds only reported having added problems with neighbors' cars, bees, ants, squirrels, blue lays, and other oppressive larger birds, but the 50 pet bird owners who also fed wild birds and the owners of pet birds only reported the same problems with minor differences in type and number of interlopers. Clearly, all bird lovers shared similar characteristics, feelings, and behaviors toward birds and acknowledged the minor differences in attitudes toward the benefits and problems created by the birds' various interactions and behaviors with humans.

Because research literature on human and avian interactions is limited, it seemed important to investigate the benefits and liabilities of pet-bird ownership. It was hypothesized that most pet bird owners would have other pet animals in addition to birds, that one-fifth of owners would have owned pet birds during childhood or adolescence, that they would report their birds provided physical and verbal companionship, and that most would admit to their being some real liabilities in owning birds. 50 men and 50 women bird owners were interviewed. Clearly, bird owners were also animal lovers, and their responses supported all the hypotheses. The primary benefits of bird ownership were friendship, companionship, and verbal interactions. The primary liabilities were messiness and noise. Respondents stated good bird owners needed to be patient, affectionate, and sensitively perceptive. These findings should help in training of both children and adults for careful nurturing of birds and other pets.

To evaluate the amount of awareness and quality of knowledge about ocean life the average American possesses 100 men and 100 women were asked what they knew about the importance of the oceans, their attitudes toward protection of marine life and oceanic ecology, and their sources of information regarding oceans. 98% believed that oceans are necessary for human survival and 92% believed that marine life was essential to the over-all ecology. 89% believed that dumping and toxic pollution almost irreparably harm marine life and that such practices must be stopped. 48% obtained their information about the oceans from formal educational programs and 95% from popular movies and documentary video programs. These data indicate that adults are quite aware of the continuing problems which threaten the survival of ocean life, although few have any suggestions about solving such problems.

To study people's perceptions and attitudes toward the importance of marine biodiversity, 102 visitors to San Francisco's UnderWater World aquarium were interviewed about their perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge about marine life and the environment needed for survival. They were asked about any changes in perceptions and attitudes after their visit. The data indicate that most visitors had very little education in marine biology, that 84% had previously visited other aquariums, that 98% had maintained or increased their positive attitudes toward marine life, and that only 20% financially or emotionally supported marine animal protection or preservation societies. These data, especially from people who had previously visited aquariums, indicated a need for school and college classes and texts to include more substantial and interest-stimulating information about the encompassing importance of the oceans for the survival of all terrestrial and oceanic species.

Because childhood experiences with pets and wildlife help develop positive attitudes toward animals, educators who can teach the importance of protective maintenance of wildlife and environment to coming generations are needed. The characteristics and motives of 55 volunteer docents in wildlife education (9 men, 46 women) were assessed through telephone interviews. The data indicate that such actively involved docents had great concern for wildlife, had experienced positive role models, peer support, and rewards for specific behaviors involving animals, and had positive experiences with owning pets during childhood. Notably, however, these trained educators focused on teaching more about animal care and protection and less on specific interactions with animals, and they stayed in wildlife education because they liked raising children's enthusiasm for protecting the environment and wildlife. Recruitment of docents for wildlife education should take these latter distinctive characteristics into account. Over-all, the data suggest that children, adolescents, wildlife, and environment could benefit greatly if these docents could extend their suburban outreach programs to inner city primary and intermediate schools as well.

The characteristics and motives of 63 suburban adolescents (20 boys, 43 girls) who are concerned with learning how to care for and make significant contributions to wildlife and the environment were assessed by telephone interviews. The data confirm studies of adults in that significantly more girls than boys became volunteers, significantly more volunteers' families than average families experienced caring interactions with animal life through pet ownership, and significantly more volunteers reported that concern for wildlife arose during early childhood rather than later. The data also indicate that early childhood experiences with pets, with adults acting as role models and providing social approval, and having instruction in wildlife care with peers all contributed to their positive attitudes toward wildlife and the pursuit of their volunteer work. Over-all, the results suggest that adolescents, wildlife, and the environment might benefit if wildlife care programs could be established for other youth such as inner city teenagers.

200 adults (100 men and 100 women with a mean age of 58.8 yr.) were interviewed to assess the associations of recollections about their grandparents' and parents' attitudes and their adults' attitudes and behaviors toward pets. Subjects were categorized into Never-owned pets, Always-owned pets, Owned-in-childhood-only, and Owned-in-adulthood-only groups ( ns = 25). Subjects were asked about their present and past ownership and experiences, and the attitudes toward ownership of pets by their grandparents and parents. Although the literature suggests that childhood experiences strongly affect adults' attitudes toward pets, there were no differences in attitudes between adults who had always owned pets and those who owned pets only during adulthood. These two groups had significantly more grandparents and parents who owned pets than did the other two groups. Significantly more subjects who had owned pets only during childhood reported unpleasant experiences with pets than did subjects of the other three groups. Subjects who had owned pets only during adulthood were persuaded by their children or significant others to acquire pets to which they became very attached.