Pet-Induced Stress Buffering Depends on Touch: Evidence from Brain and Cardiac Measures

While there is much evidence for the wellbeing benefits of pet-ownership, the mechanisms through which these benefits emerge have been left uncertain. Here, we pursued the possibility that friendly physical contact with one's pet dampens stress and furthers homeostasis. Sixty-four pet owners visited our lab with their dog. They completed two experimental blocks each comprised of a resting baseline, a stress-inducing cognitive task, and a recovery period. The dog was present only during recovery, with physical contact being possible during one block but not the other. Relative to rest, the cognitive task reduced alpha and increased beta power in the EEG, accelerated heart-rate, and reduced heart-rate variability with significant associations between these measures. Although self-reported negative affect increased also, this was unrelated to the bodily change. While there was no evidence that touch enhanced recovery from stress, the biological data converged on showing that it dampened responses to an upcoming stressor. Participants recovering with touch during the first block had reduced EEG alpha suppression, lower heart-rate, and increased heart-rate variability during the stress phase of the second block. Similar effects were absent in participants recovering without touch during the first block. Thus, touch appears to be an important aspect of human-pet interactions and one that causally contributes to the wellbeing benefits associated with owning a pet.