An experimental study focusing on mindfulness to capture how our contacts with dogs can promote human well-being
Abstract Pet ownership per se has not been reliably associated with increased human well-being and health. Furthermore, the specific psychological mechanisms and behavioral dynamics through which the presence of pets could yield higher human wellness remain under-investigated. Conducted among dog ow...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00872-z |
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| Summary: | Abstract Pet ownership per se has not been reliably associated with increased human well-being and health. Furthermore, the specific psychological mechanisms and behavioral dynamics through which the presence of pets could yield higher human wellness remain under-investigated. Conducted among dog owners and their dogs, the current experiment investigates if a specific psychological factor – i.e., mindfulness – activated in the presence of one’s dog increases dog owners’ psychological well-being. The study also explores which affiliative and synchronization behaviors manifested within the human–dog dyad are associated with higher human well-being. A within-participants design was employed among 52 dog owners and their dogs. The mindfulness condition was found to have a positive impact on dog owners’ well-being. This condition also generated more affiliative and synchronization behaviors among both owners and their dogs on a majority of behaviors, with some of these behaviors (i.e., frequency the dog initiated contact with their owner; duration the owner communicated with their dog) mediating the associations between the mindfulness induction and the well-being outcomes. These findings confirm the importance of investigating the psychological and behavioral factors which, when activated and manifested within human–dog relationships, promote human wellness as well as interspecies interactivity. |
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| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |