Attachment to pets and interpersonal relationships

Abstract

The goal of the present research is to investigate pet attachment and measure the connection between owner-pet attachment and interpersonal attachment characteristics of dog owners and cat owners, social support and loneliness. From a sample of 268 dog and 97 cat owners, significant differences on pet attachment appeared between pet owners' gender, owners living location, kinds of pets and the length of ownership. The pedigree of pets influenced owner-pet attachment levels.

Does cat attachment have an effect on human health? A comparison between owners and volunteers

“…It suggests that 'familiarity breeds attachment' as shown in the positive relationship between the duration of ownership and the level of attachment, and the possible physiological impact. The value of a pet has been shown to increase with length of time of ownership (Word 2012) and to be stronger after 3 years (Smolkovic et al 2012);Cavanaugh et al (2008) also reported a relationship between well-being and duration of ownership of dogs. The attachment bond created between owner and pet may have implications for how their relationship is maintained over time (Smolkovic et al 2012).…”

“…The value of a pet has been shown to increase with length of time of ownership (Word 2012) and to be stronger after 3 years (Smolkovic et al 2012);Cavanaugh et al (2008) also reported a relationship between well-being and duration of ownership of dogs. The attachment bond created between owner and pet may have implications for how their relationship is maintained over time (Smolkovic et al 2012). Interestingly, in human relationships, satisfaction tends to decline over time (over the first 4 years) and contributes less to overall well-being (Kurdek 1998).…”

“…McNicholas et al 2005). Reductions in stress seem to involve reduction in activity in the central autonomic nervous system (Allen et al 1991;Arhant-Sudhir et al Pets are usually chosen on the basis of their ability to respond in an affiliative manner (Schuelke et al 1992) and they are perceived as friends which are nonjudgmental, loyal, and fond of their owners (Allen 2003;Turner et al 2003;Cavanaugh et al 2008;Smolkovic et al 2012). However, physiological effects on humans from owning a pet can be influenced by psychological, physical, and social measures in a complex way (Wood et al 2005).…”

Pet Attachment Quastionnaire: Validity and Reliability Study

“…Evcil hayvanların insanların hayatında önemli yer tutmasıyla beraber insanhayvan ilişkisiyle ilgili araştırmaların arttığı görülmektedir (Daly ve Morton, 2006;Miltiades ve Shearer, 2011;Smolkovic, Fajfar ve Mlinaric, 2012;Zilcha-Mano, Mikulincer ve Shaver, 2011). Araştırmalarda en çok çalışılan konunun evcil hayvan sahibi olmanın bireylerin sağlığı üzerindeki etkileri hakkında olduğu dikkat çekmektedir.…”

From mother to Mother Nature: The role of interpersonal attachment in human–nature relations

“…Among the religious, those higher in interpersonal attachment avoidance also tend to be more avoidantly attached to God (i.e., they are less comfortable depending on and being emotionally intimate with God; Beck & McDonald, 2004). Moreover, some research extending attachment theory to human-pet relationships has found that those who are more avoidantly attached tend to have more insecure relationships with their pets (Brown & Symons, 2016;Konok et al, 2015;Zilcha-Mano, Mikulincer, & Shaver, 2011; but see Beck & Madresh, 2008;Smolkovic, Fajfar, & Mlinaric, 2012;Quinn, 2005). Chronic deactivation of the attachment system might not only impair the formation and maintenance of close relationships with other people, but also make it more difficult to form and maintain a hardy connection with other external targets, including the natural world.…”