Interspecies Relational Theory: A Framework for Compassionate Interspecies Interactions

Area of Science:

• Animal Behavior
• Human-Animal Interaction Studies
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Current research on human-animal relationships primarily focuses on human benefits, animal welfare, or domestic husbandry.
• Existing studies often overlook the nuanced, multi-stage development of these interspecies connections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel framework, Interspecies Relational Theory, for understanding and developing human-nonhuman animal relationships.
• To offer a structured approach for identifying, cultivating, and sustaining diverse relationship levels between species.
• To integrate human relationship psychology and animal interaction research into a cohesive model.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of human working relationships, friendships, and animal friendships.
• Integration of existing research on human-animal interactions.
• Development of a three-stage relational framework based on trust levels and Maslow's Hierarchy.

Main Results:

• A proposed three-stage framework for Interspecies Relational Theory, moving from calculus-based to affect-based trust.
• Alignment of relationship stages with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
• A model applicable to various human-animal interaction settings, including veterinary and animal-assisted contexts.

Conclusions:

• Interspecies Relational Theory provides a novel perspective on human-animal bonds.
• The framework enhances understanding of relationship dynamics from both human and animal viewpoints.
• This theory can inform practices in veterinary medicine and animal-assisted interventions.