Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2011
If human beings and dogs are social partners, their interactions and performance as a team in an ... more If human beings and dogs are social partners, their interactions and performance as a team in an operational challenge should be affected, among other factors, by their personalities and gender combination. To explore this idea, data were collected at a fun-agility competition in Steyr (Upper Austria) in May 2007. A total of 27 human-dog dyads (11 male and 16 female owners; 8 male and 19 female dogs, most of them of the dog breed ''Eurasier''; www.eurasierclub-austria.at) were videotaped during mastering fun-agility parcours as a team. Saliva samples for the analysis of cortisol were taken before and after. Questionnaires answered by the owners included the NEO-FFI personality test and an attitude-toward-dog scale. Videos were behavior-coded with The Observer (Noldus). Principal component analysis served to extract dimensions from the attitude questionnaire and data were analyzed using GLMs. We found that gender of the owner and the dog as well as the personality of both partners affected dyadic performance in the agility parcours and salivary cortisol. Male owners controlled their dogs more by holding them (restraining them physically) than female owners and male dogs were more controlled by holding than female dogs, independent of owner gender. Human partners in successfully performing teams praised their dogs more, held (physically restrained) them less, and the dogs in such teams were closer to their human partners than dogs in less successfully performing teams. We also found effects of human and dog age, and some relationships with dyadic cortisol. In summary, we found some of the predicted differences in dyadic functionality, particularly with regard to human-dog gender combination, but in contrast to expectation, personalities had no significant influence.
We previously showed ) that owner personality and human-dog relationship predicted the performanc... more We previously showed ) that owner personality and human-dog relationship predicted the performance of a human-dog dyad in a practical task. Based on the same data set we presently investigate the effects of individual and social factors on the social attraction of dogs to their owners. twenty-two male and female owners and their intact male dogs were observed during a "picture viewing" test, where we diverted the owner's attention away from their dog whilst it was permitted to move freely around the room. Owner personality axis "neuroticism" and dog personality axis "vocal and aggressive" were, respectively, positively and negatively related to the time the dog stayed in proximity to the owner. Quality of relationship and attachment also had significant effects on this proximity. We conclude that personality and the nature of the human-dog relationship may all influence dogs' social attraction to their owners.
Dyadic relationship Human-animal interaction Human-animal relationship Human-cat dyad Social beha... more Dyadic relationship Human-animal interaction Human-animal relationship Human-cat dyad Social behaviour Temporal pattern a b s t r a c t Human-cat dyads may be similar in interaction structure to human dyads because many humans regard their cats as being social companions. Consequently, we predict that dyadic structure will be contingent on owner and cat personalities, sex, and age as well as duration of cohabitation of the partners. Forty owner-cat dyads were visited in their homes, on four occasions, during which their behaviours and interactions were video-taped. Behaviour was coded from tape and was analysed for temporal (t)patterns using Theme ® (Noldus; . Owner personality was assessed using the NEO-FFI. Five cat personality axes were identified by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on observerrated items and on coded behaviours. We found that the higher the owner in neuroticism, the fewer t-patterns occurred per minute. The higher the owner in extraversion, the higher was the number of non-overlapping patterns per minute. The more "active" the cat, the fewer non-overlapping patterns occurred per minute, but the higher was the event type complexity. The older the cat, the lower was dyadic event type complexity. We suggest that basic temporal structures similar to those of human-cat dyads may also be found in other long-term and complex dyadic relationships, including those between humans.
In the paper we investigate how owner personality, attitude and gender influence dog behavior, dy... more In the paper we investigate how owner personality, attitude and gender influence dog behavior, dyadic practical functionality and the level of dog salivary cortisol. In three meetings, 12 female and 10 male owners of male dogs answered questionnaires including the Neo-FFI human personality inventory. Their dyadic behavior was video-taped in a number of test situations, and saliva samples were collected. Owners who scored highly in neuroticism (Neo-FFI dimension one) viewed their dogs as social supporters and spent much time with them. Their dogs had low baseline cortisol levels, but such dyads were less successful in the operational task. Owners who scored highly in extroversion (Neo-FFI dimension two) appreciated shared activities with their dogs which had relatively high baseline cortisol values. Dogs that had female owners were less sociable-active (dog personality axis 1) than dogs that had male owners. Therefore, it appears that owner gender and personality influences dyadic interaction style, dog behavior and dyadic practical functionality.
Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 2009
ABSTRACT Humans are generally biophilic. Still, for unknown reasons, interest in animals varies s... more ABSTRACT Humans are generally biophilic. Still, for unknown reasons, interest in animals varies substantially among individuals. Our goal was to investigate how differential interest of children towards animals might be related to social competence and personality. We proposed two alternatives: 1) Children may compensate for potential deficits in social competence by resorting to animals, and 2) Socially well-connected children may show a particular interest in animals. We focused on relationships between age, gender, family background, play behavior, personality components, and contact with rabbits in 50 children (22 boys/28 girls; 3 to 7 years of age) at a preschool in Krems/Austria. Data were analyzed using GLM. We found that each one of these variables had significant impact on intensity of engagement with the rabbits. In general, girls, children with siblings, and children without pets were more oriented towards the rabbits than were boys, children without siblings, or pet-owning children. The older the children, the less frequently they occupied themselves with the rabbits but the longer they remained when they did engage them. Furthermore, we found that the more “Confident/Respected” (PCA factor 1) and less “Patient/Calm,” “Cheerful/Sociable,” and “Solitary” (PCA factors 2-4) the children, the more time they spent in direct occupation with rabbits. Most effects of the investigated variables varied between boys and girls. By and large, our findings support the hypothesis that the “socially competent” children were particularly interested in the animals. Also, children's social styles, as evinced in interactions with peers, were generally reflected in how they interacted with the rabbits.
Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 2012
ABSTRACT The aim of our study was to examine the influence of dyadic attachment, owner and dog pe... more ABSTRACT The aim of our study was to examine the influence of dyadic attachment, owner and dog personality, and owner gender on stress hormone dynamics in owner–dog dyads. We hypothesized that owner personality modulates dyadic relationships and, hence, would affect the cortisol levels resulting from acute and chronic stressors. Data were collected during three meetings with 10 male and 12 female owners aged 23–68 years, with their medium-to-large, intact male dogs aged 1.5–6.0 years. These owner-dog dyads were observed and video-taped during different tasks. The NEO-FFI (Five-Factor Inventory) was used to determine owner personality, and questionnaires covering owner–dog relationship and attachment were employed. Salivary cortisol levels were measured from samples collected during the dyads' daily routine and after experimental challenges. It was found that our experimental tasks had little effect on the salivary cortisol levels of either dog or owner except that dogs and male owners showed elevated levels during the first 20 minutes of our visit to their homes. However, owners who scaled high in neuroticism (NEO-FFI dimension 1) or low in conscientiousness (NEO-FFI dimension 5) showed high morning salivary cortisol values, in contrast to their dogs, which were low in morning salivary cortisol. In general, dogs of owners who considered them as being “social partners” and “meaningful companions” showed low morning salivary cortisol values. We conclude that the main individual and dyadic factors for stress coping in owner–dog dyads are owner personality, relationship with the dog, and attachment to the dog, and that relationship had generally a greater effect on dog cortisol levels than our experimental tasks.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2011
If human beings and dogs are social partners, their interactions and performance as a team in an ... more If human beings and dogs are social partners, their interactions and performance as a team in an operational challenge should be affected, among other factors, by their personalities and gender combination. To explore this idea, data were collected at a fun-agility competition in Steyr (Upper Austria) in May 2007. A total of 27 human-dog dyads (11 male and 16 female owners; 8 male and 19 female dogs, most of them of the dog breed ''Eurasier''; www.eurasierclub-austria.at) were videotaped during mastering fun-agility parcours as a team. Saliva samples for the analysis of cortisol were taken before and after. Questionnaires answered by the owners included the NEO-FFI personality test and an attitude-toward-dog scale. Videos were behavior-coded with The Observer (Noldus). Principal component analysis served to extract dimensions from the attitude questionnaire and data were analyzed using GLMs. We found that gender of the owner and the dog as well as the personality of both partners affected dyadic performance in the agility parcours and salivary cortisol. Male owners controlled their dogs more by holding them (restraining them physically) than female owners and male dogs were more controlled by holding than female dogs, independent of owner gender. Human partners in successfully performing teams praised their dogs more, held (physically restrained) them less, and the dogs in such teams were closer to their human partners than dogs in less successfully performing teams. We also found effects of human and dog age, and some relationships with dyadic cortisol. In summary, we found some of the predicted differences in dyadic functionality, particularly with regard to human-dog gender combination, but in contrast to expectation, personalities had no significant influence.
We previously showed ) that owner personality and human-dog relationship predicted the performanc... more We previously showed ) that owner personality and human-dog relationship predicted the performance of a human-dog dyad in a practical task. Based on the same data set we presently investigate the effects of individual and social factors on the social attraction of dogs to their owners. twenty-two male and female owners and their intact male dogs were observed during a "picture viewing" test, where we diverted the owner's attention away from their dog whilst it was permitted to move freely around the room. Owner personality axis "neuroticism" and dog personality axis "vocal and aggressive" were, respectively, positively and negatively related to the time the dog stayed in proximity to the owner. Quality of relationship and attachment also had significant effects on this proximity. We conclude that personality and the nature of the human-dog relationship may all influence dogs' social attraction to their owners.
Dyadic relationship Human-animal interaction Human-animal relationship Human-cat dyad Social beha... more Dyadic relationship Human-animal interaction Human-animal relationship Human-cat dyad Social behaviour Temporal pattern a b s t r a c t Human-cat dyads may be similar in interaction structure to human dyads because many humans regard their cats as being social companions. Consequently, we predict that dyadic structure will be contingent on owner and cat personalities, sex, and age as well as duration of cohabitation of the partners. Forty owner-cat dyads were visited in their homes, on four occasions, during which their behaviours and interactions were video-taped. Behaviour was coded from tape and was analysed for temporal (t)patterns using Theme ® (Noldus; . Owner personality was assessed using the NEO-FFI. Five cat personality axes were identified by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on observerrated items and on coded behaviours. We found that the higher the owner in neuroticism, the fewer t-patterns occurred per minute. The higher the owner in extraversion, the higher was the number of non-overlapping patterns per minute. The more "active" the cat, the fewer non-overlapping patterns occurred per minute, but the higher was the event type complexity. The older the cat, the lower was dyadic event type complexity. We suggest that basic temporal structures similar to those of human-cat dyads may also be found in other long-term and complex dyadic relationships, including those between humans.
In the paper we investigate how owner personality, attitude and gender influence dog behavior, dy... more In the paper we investigate how owner personality, attitude and gender influence dog behavior, dyadic practical functionality and the level of dog salivary cortisol. In three meetings, 12 female and 10 male owners of male dogs answered questionnaires including the Neo-FFI human personality inventory. Their dyadic behavior was video-taped in a number of test situations, and saliva samples were collected. Owners who scored highly in neuroticism (Neo-FFI dimension one) viewed their dogs as social supporters and spent much time with them. Their dogs had low baseline cortisol levels, but such dyads were less successful in the operational task. Owners who scored highly in extroversion (Neo-FFI dimension two) appreciated shared activities with their dogs which had relatively high baseline cortisol values. Dogs that had female owners were less sociable-active (dog personality axis 1) than dogs that had male owners. Therefore, it appears that owner gender and personality influences dyadic interaction style, dog behavior and dyadic practical functionality.
Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 2009
ABSTRACT Humans are generally biophilic. Still, for unknown reasons, interest in animals varies s... more ABSTRACT Humans are generally biophilic. Still, for unknown reasons, interest in animals varies substantially among individuals. Our goal was to investigate how differential interest of children towards animals might be related to social competence and personality. We proposed two alternatives: 1) Children may compensate for potential deficits in social competence by resorting to animals, and 2) Socially well-connected children may show a particular interest in animals. We focused on relationships between age, gender, family background, play behavior, personality components, and contact with rabbits in 50 children (22 boys/28 girls; 3 to 7 years of age) at a preschool in Krems/Austria. Data were analyzed using GLM. We found that each one of these variables had significant impact on intensity of engagement with the rabbits. In general, girls, children with siblings, and children without pets were more oriented towards the rabbits than were boys, children without siblings, or pet-owning children. The older the children, the less frequently they occupied themselves with the rabbits but the longer they remained when they did engage them. Furthermore, we found that the more “Confident/Respected” (PCA factor 1) and less “Patient/Calm,” “Cheerful/Sociable,” and “Solitary” (PCA factors 2-4) the children, the more time they spent in direct occupation with rabbits. Most effects of the investigated variables varied between boys and girls. By and large, our findings support the hypothesis that the “socially competent” children were particularly interested in the animals. Also, children's social styles, as evinced in interactions with peers, were generally reflected in how they interacted with the rabbits.
Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 2012
ABSTRACT The aim of our study was to examine the influence of dyadic attachment, owner and dog pe... more ABSTRACT The aim of our study was to examine the influence of dyadic attachment, owner and dog personality, and owner gender on stress hormone dynamics in owner–dog dyads. We hypothesized that owner personality modulates dyadic relationships and, hence, would affect the cortisol levels resulting from acute and chronic stressors. Data were collected during three meetings with 10 male and 12 female owners aged 23–68 years, with their medium-to-large, intact male dogs aged 1.5–6.0 years. These owner-dog dyads were observed and video-taped during different tasks. The NEO-FFI (Five-Factor Inventory) was used to determine owner personality, and questionnaires covering owner–dog relationship and attachment were employed. Salivary cortisol levels were measured from samples collected during the dyads' daily routine and after experimental challenges. It was found that our experimental tasks had little effect on the salivary cortisol levels of either dog or owner except that dogs and male owners showed elevated levels during the first 20 minutes of our visit to their homes. However, owners who scaled high in neuroticism (NEO-FFI dimension 1) or low in conscientiousness (NEO-FFI dimension 5) showed high morning salivary cortisol values, in contrast to their dogs, which were low in morning salivary cortisol. In general, dogs of owners who considered them as being “social partners” and “meaningful companions” showed low morning salivary cortisol values. We conclude that the main individual and dyadic factors for stress coping in owner–dog dyads are owner personality, relationship with the dog, and attachment to the dog, and that relationship had generally a greater effect on dog cortisol levels than our experimental tasks.
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Papers by Manuela Wedl