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posted by hubie on Wednesday November 15 2023, @11:51PM   Printer-friendly
from the do-you-want-to-pet-my-kitty? dept.

The vast majority of dog and cat owners will say their pets enrich their lives in countless ways and bring immeasurable levels of extra happiness, but researchers from Michigan State University suggest that most pet owners may just be telling themselves what they want to hear. Their new study found that despite owners claiming pets improve their lives, researchers did not see a reliable association between pet ownership and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic:

The pandemic was a stressful time for everyone, to put it lightly. Even the most laid-back among us found themselves overwhelmed by the lockdowns and social distancing guidelines that dominated 2020. So, the research team at MSU theorized that the pandemic represented an ideal time to study just how much comfort and happiness pets really provide to their families.

In all, the study authors assessed a total of 767 people on three separate occasions in May 2020. The research team opted to adopt a mixed-method approach that allowed them to simultaneously assess several indicators of well-being, all while also asking participants to reflect on the role of pets from their point of view in an open-ended manner. Generally, pet owners predictably reported their pets made them happy. More specifically, they said their pets helped them feel more positive emotions and provided affection and companionship.

On the other hand, the participants also articulated the dark side of pet ownership, such as worries related to their pet's well-being or having their pets interfere with working remotely.

[...] "People say that pets make them happy, but when we actually measure happiness, that doesn't appear to be the case," says William Chopik, an associate professor in MSU's Department of Psychology and co-author of the study, in a university release. "People see friends as lonely or wanting companionship, and they recommend getting a pet. But it's unlikely that it'll be as transformative as people think."

As a lifetime pet owner who's had at least a dozen dogs over the years, I take umbrage with the study's findings. My dogs are always thrilled to see me when I arrive home from a long, tiring day of work, and taking them for a walk or just being in their presence immediately lifts my spirits. And I remember the calming effect petting a cat had for my ex-wife when she was pregnant and having a bad day.

Journal Reference:
Chopik, W. J., Oh, J., Weidmann, R., et al. (2023). The Perks of Pet Ownership? The Effects of Pet Ownership on Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672231203417


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  • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday November 16 2023, @03:27PM (1 child)

    by Freeman (732) on Thursday November 16 2023, @03:27PM (#1333163) Journal

    That is called life. Also, it may actually be better to experience a pet's passing before you experience a parent or sibling's passing for instance.

    --
    Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
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  • (Score: 2) by vux984 on Thursday November 16 2023, @11:48PM

    by vux984 (5045) on Thursday November 16 2023, @11:48PM (#1333213)

    "That is called life."

    A pet exists to bring its owner happiness. Yes, they get old and die, and its sad, but if you own a pet that's sick or in pain and it's vomitting, pissing, and shitting itself daily, and you can keep it alive for another 6 years with medicine, surgery, constant care and monitoring ... I think that's just wrong for everyone involved.

    "Also, it may actually be better to experience a pet's passing before you experience a parent or sibling's passing for instance."

    Again, it depends, which experience?

    Is it 'good' to experience the loss of pet? sure in some sense yes there is a value in that experience of grief and loss.
    Is it good to care for a sick and dying pet for six years as a practice-run for when your mom is blind, incontinent, and suffering from dementia for her final years? No, I'm not really seeing it.