Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Harley, Heidi

Keywords

Human Behavior, Pets, Dogs, Human-Animal Relationships

Area of Concentration

Psychology

Abstract

Previous studies have found numerous associations between pet ownership throughout the human lifespan and mental and physical benefits. The current study explored the potential relation between pet ownership and interpersonal trust and trustworthiness. One-hundred and twenty-three participants took an online survey that measured trust, trustworthiness, features of an attachment figure for pet, close friend, and parent/guardian, current and previous pet ownership, and demographics. All but two of the participants had a pet in childhood, while 78 participants had pets currently. Participants with pets currently were significantly more trustworthy and slightly more trusting than participants without pets currently, indicating that current pet ownership does relate to trustworthiness and, to a lesser extent, trust. The only significant relation found between pet type and trust or trustworthiness was that current dog owners were more trustworthy than participants who did not currently own dogs. Differences were also found between the human relationships and the pet relationship on the features of an attachment figure scale, including pets being more likely to be seen as safe havens by participants and evoke proximity maintenance and separation distress in participants than parents/guardians.

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