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A social-cognitive approach to understanding the person-pet relationship
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Fisher, Joanne Dorothy (2000) A social-cognitive approach to understanding the person-pet relationship. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
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Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b1377415
Abstract
In many western societies, including Britain, the practice of owning pet animals is widespread. The reasons people keep pets have been the focus of recent academic interest and many studies have been published. It is argued that the relationship that pets form with their owners is important, and similar to those formed between people. The belief that pets are members of social groups such as 'family’ and ‘friend’ is pervasive and supported in academic literature exploring the relationship between people and pets. However, this finding is less well supported outside the person-pet field.
This thesis aims to resolve this dichotomy by using a social-cognitive methodology to investigate the structure of these concepts. A series of experimental studies are presented, each of which carries forward the social- cognitive theme, first exploring the notion that person-pet relationships can be modelled as a family relationship and then as a friendship.
This research found no support the notion that the majority of pet owners consider their pets as family or friends. The finding that pet owners are not a homogeneous group and have different cognitions concerning the role of pets may go some way to explain the differences which exist in the literature.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
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Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology S Agriculture > SF Animal culture |
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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Pet owners, Pet owners -- Psychology, Human-animal relationships | ||||
Official Date: | October 2000 | ||||
Dates: |
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Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | Department of Psychology | ||||
Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Morley, Ian E. ; Collis, Glyn ; Robinson, Ian ; McNicholas, June, 1956- | ||||
Sponsors: | Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) ; Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition | ||||
Format of File: | |||||
Extent: | xiv, 258 pages | ||||
Language: | eng |
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