Psychologists from HSE University Discovered How Love for Animals Affects Relationships with People
Researchers from HSE University have identified a connection between attachment to pets and attitudes toward nature and other people. The study found that the more joy people derive from interacting with their pets, the more they want to help others. However, love for animals is not always associated with concern for nature. The findings were published in the Social Psychology and Society journal.
In recent years, the social aspects of living with animals have become an increasingly popular topic among scientists, who have found connections between a person's attitude toward their pets and their interactions with society. However, it remained unclear how love for pets affected a person's attitudes toward others and the natural world. To explore this, researchers from HSE University examined how animals influence our sense of belonging to the natural world (ecological identity) and adherence to moral standards and ethical behaviours (moral motives).
Ecological identity refers to a person's sense of connection with nature and awareness of their place in the ecosystem. People with a strong ecological identity tend to care about animals, plants, and even inanimate nature, demonstrating responsibility toward future generations.
Moral motives are internal principles that guide our behaviour toward others. They include helping, avoiding harm, and striving for social justice and order.
Can love for pets help us treat other humans and the world with compassion, or is it a feeling directed solely at one creature? To answer this question, researchers from the HSE School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, surveyed 284 people with an average age of 25 years. The participants completed standardised questionnaires, including the modified Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale, the Ecological Identity Scale, and the Moral Motives Scale.
The researchers found that attachment to pets was indeed associated with prosocial personality traits. For example, the more joy a person derived from interacting with their pet, the more likely they are to avoid conflicts, help others and not harm them. However, the link between pet love and ecological identity was less strong than expected.
‘Attachment to pets can indeed promote prosocial behaviour in people,’ comments Sofya Nartova-Bochaver, co-author of the study and Head of the HSE Laboratory for the Psychology of Salutogenic Environment. ‘However, this relationship is more complex than it may seem. For example, recognising pets' rights and the happiness derived from interaction with them does not necessarily enhance ecological identity. In other words, loving animals does not always lead to a broader love for nature and the world at large.’
According to the researchers, attachment to pets affects a person's empathy. This finding supports the use of educational practices related to animal care.
The researchers intend to replicate the test results of the Russian study in other countries. They are planning a cross-cultural study in collaboration with colleagues from India, Italy, and Poland.
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