The Effects of Pet Interaction on Human Peer Interactions

Indianapolis, IN

Pet therapy is used in many different therapeutic settings to improve patient well-being. It is known to alter/lift moods, increase social interactions and give patients a sense of comfort and companionship. This study was designed to examine the effects of pet interaction on human peer interactions. Human-pet interactions will be observed at a women's correctional facility during regularly scheduled pet therapy sessions that include play, petting and spending time with cats and dogs. During the observations various behaviors such as how many times participants talk to the animal, touch the animal, talk to others, and gesture towards others will be recorded. Soon afterwards, participants will be observed in another social setting without pets and peer interaction behaviors will be recorded. Another group of participants who did not interact with animals will also be observed as well. It is predicted the pet interaction group will display more outgoing and affectionate interactions towards their peers than women who did not experience any pet interactions. It is also predicted that those individuals in the pet interaction group who show the most pet interaction will demonstrate the most affectionate peer interaction.