Variability in Human-Animal Interaction Research.

Kerri E Rodriguez,Nancy R Gee,Harold Herzog

doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.619600

Abstract

The field of Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) is plagued with mixed results. Some findings appear to indicate that interacting with a companion animal is beneficial for some aspect of human health and well-being, while other research outcomes are inconclusive or even indicate the opposite. The purpose of this paper is to take a closer look at this variability in research outcomes and to provide plausible explanations and potential remedies. Some of the reasons for mixed results are likely due to the wide variety of methodologies implemented, intermittent use of standardized measures and manualized protocols, variability in human and animal participants, and limited quantification of human-animal interactions or definitions of pet ownership. Variability in research outcomes is not unique to HAI and is, in fact, not uncommon in many more established fields such as psychology and medicine. However, the potential reasons for the variability may be linked to the unique nature of HAI in that, in its' simplest form, it involves two complex organisms, a human and an animal, interacting in dynamic ways. We argue that this complexity makes research in this field particularly challenging and requires a broad spectrum of theoretical and methodological considerations to improve rigor while ensuring the validity and reliability of conclusions drawn from study results.

Highlights

The idea that interacting with companion animals conveys health and well-being benefits to humans goes back for centuries
There is inherent variability linked to the unique nature of Human-Animal Interaction (HAI), in that, in its simplest form, it involves two complex organisms, a human and a companion animal, interacting in dynamic ways
We have described how variability in methods and measurement, human participants, animal participants, and interactions may contribute to mixed findings in the field of human-animal interaction

Summary

Introduction

The idea that interacting with companion animals conveys health and well-being benefits to humans goes back for centuries. Empirical research on the impact of pets on people, dates to the 1980s [1]. Among the most influential early investigations were studies reporting that pet owners had significantly lower rates of mortality following heart attacks [2] and that interacting with dogs produced decreases in blood pressure and levels of physiological stress [3]. Over the last 20 years, research on the health and therapeutic implications of the human-animal bond, including animal-assisted interventions (AAI), has grown exponentially. Hundreds of papers on these topics are published in academic journals each year, and centers devoted to the study of human-animal relationships have been established in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Nearly 50 educational institutions offer undergraduate or graduate degrees in human-animal relationships [4]

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Conclusion