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Related Experiment Videos

Can pets function as family members?

Susan Phillips Cohen1

  • 1Animal Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.

Western Journal of Nursing Research
|October 9, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Pet owners often view pets as family members, sometimes prioritizing them over humans for scarce resources. This study explored the human-animal bond and its impact on family dynamics.

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Area of Science:

  • Human-Animal Bond Research
  • Family Sociology
  • Veterinary Client Studies

Background:

  • Pets increasingly integrated into family structures.
  • Understanding the pet's role relative to human family members is crucial.
  • Existing research often focuses on attachment, less on comparative roles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how veterinary clients perceive their pet's role within the family.
  • To compare the perceived role of pets to that of human family members.
  • To explore factors influencing the strength of pet-human relationships.

Main Methods:

  • Phase 1: Survey of 201 veterinary clients using family relationship and pet attachment scales.
  • Phase 2: In-depth interviews with 16 participants using social network instruments and family role questionnaires.
  • Statistical analysis of questionnaire data and qualitative analysis of interview responses.

Main Results:

  • Male gender and college graduation correlated with lower psychological kinship and intimacy with both pets and people.
  • Living with a partner or having children did not significantly affect the strength of pet relationships.
  • A majority (13/16) of participants indicated willingness to prioritize pets over non-family humans for scarce medication.

Conclusions:

  • Pet-human relationships are complex and can rival human relationships in terms of emotional investment.
  • Demographic factors like gender and education may influence the perception of the human-animal bond.
  • Findings highlight the significant emotional and sometimes preferential role pets play in modern families.

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