Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Barton, Michelle
Keywords
Attachment, Companion Animal, Pain
Area of Concentration
Psychology
Abstract
Exposure to companion animals has been associated with reduced physiological reactivity, reduced pain and improved affect. Some have suggested these effects may be due to the Biophilia hypothesis, which states that people receive a therapeutic benefit from exposure to nature, while others have argued that these effects are an effect of attachment. The current study compared the reduction in pain experienced by participants during exposure to photographs of a familiar dog, an unfamiliar dog, a plant and a neutral stimulus (chair), through the use of a 3(Condition: familiar dog, unfamiliar dog, plant) x 2(Trial: chair, experimental) design, in an attempt to isolate the effects of attachment from the effects of Biophilia. The results revealed no differences between these groups on physiological responses including systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. However there were significant differences in pain tolerance. Participants viewing the familiar dog had a higher pain tolerance than those viewing the unfamiliar dog or the chair. Additionally, participants viewing the plant had a higher pain tolerance than those viewing the chair. This suggests that a familiar dog may serve as a more effective pain intervention than an unfamiliar dog. Furthermore, the results suggest that photographs of plants and familiar dogs are sufficient to foster pain reduction.
Recommended Citation
Ballantine, Emma Jane, "My Dog Is Better Than Yours An Examination of The Pain Attenuating Properties Associated With Exposure To a Familiar Dog, an Unfamiliar Dog, and a Plant" (2012). Theses & ETDs. 4547.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/4547
Rights
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