Stressful circumstances are a common occurrence in the day to day life of individuals across the globe. Stress in everyday life can be triggered by various factors including but not limited to transitional stages and challenging life events. Some of the everyday stressors in the contemporary society include education, career, health conditions, financial situations, spiritual well-being among others. Stress adversely impacts the individuals' daily operations, their social interactions, and health. Acknowledging the negative impacts of stress, many scholars, particularly psychologists, have invested in research on how to lessen stress. Some of the common interventions for stress include ensuring mental resilience and physical health and participating in relaxing physical activities such as yoga.
Moreover, social support is acknowledged as a crucial factor in efforts to defeat stress. Animals such as dogs provide social support that often translates to both physical and mental benefits, which is important in reducing and managing stress. Many households across the globe own dog pets and as such it is imperative to analyze the impact of these animals on stress levels of people. The study argues dogs have a positive psychological effect, particularly, the research asserts dogs reduce stress in humans.
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Significance of the Research
The issue of stress remains a topic of concern in psychology as a discipline and a practice due to its prevalence rate. Investigating ways to lessen or mitigate stress in the society is crucial especially when the adverse effects of stress are taken into account. Moreover, many households in the society have pets but remain unaware of the psychological benefits associated with pets. Therefore, a survey on the impact of dogs on stress in humans serves to expand knowledge on the concept of stress and spread awareness of the psychological importance of pets particularly dogs. The results of the research will encourage individuals to consider having dogs as pets as a way of dealing with stress. Moreover, the conclusions in the study will facilitate appreciation of dogs amongst dog owners who previously ignored their benefits. The study intends to capture the effects of dogs on stress in humans at a societal level rather than concentrating on one demographic group. Therefore, the results of the study will have implications at a community level. The study will impact therapy reforms that are designed to deal with stress in the society.
Literature Review
Allen et al. (1991) define stress as an uncomfortable emotional experience that is accompanied by predictable changes in behavior, physiological and biochemical processes. There is no limitation on who can be stressed. Stress can affect people of all ages and genders. Stress has adverse effects and can cause both physical and psychological health problems. Scholars have conducted various studies to determine ways of helping people to reduce or cope with stress. There are different types of social support including confidence support, companionship support, informational support, and motivational support among others. Dogs offer social companionship to human beings, which is important in influencing moods and subsequently stress levels at a given time. Mano, Mikulincer, and Shaver (2011) analyzed the relationship between human beings and dogs grounded on John Bowlby's attachment theory. The study concluded the relationship between people and dogs showcase four core aspects of Bowlby's attachment approach. These elements encompass proximity seeking, haven, secure base and separation distress. Basing dogs and humans association and resultantly their bond an attachment theory solidifies their relationship and as such illustrate dogs’ ability to lower stress.
Since in entirety social support involves different types of interactions and care, it often encompasses different people from family members to friends. A study that compared the stress-reducing abilities of dogs to other socialization options such as friends concluded dogs provide better support (Allen, Blascovich, Tomaka, & Kelsey, 1991) . The study survey ed the interactions between female adults between 27 and 55 years and their dogs in relation to their associations with their friends in stressful situations. The results of the study suggested the presence of a dog during stressful circumstances provides better support compared to the presence of a close friend. Dogs can change moods and induce positive feelings at a capacity that a close friend cannot achieve. Dogs stress relieving abilities in this particular scenario is based on the fact that interaction with dogs does not rely on one to one conversations, which are uncomfortable during stressful situations.
Pet owners often invest time and resources in taking care of their pets and ensuring their well-being. When individuals take care of dogs, they create minimum essential care an important aspect in the bonding process and the mutual relationship between pets and humans. According to Shore, Douglas and Riley (2005) when pet owners safeguard the well-being of pets, they prompt them to assist them as well, which is reflected in dogs’ providence of social companionship. Barker et al., (2010) investigated the correlation between owning a pet such as a dog and the stress levels of the owner. According to the research, a dog owner is less anxious and distressed when interacting with their pets as compared to situations where the individual is interacting with an unfamiliar dog. The observation validates the concept that dogs stress reduction abilities are grounded on the bond and relationship between the owner and the dog.
Dogs are highly social animals, therefore, they interact efficiently with human beings, which is essential influencing moods and subsequently stress levels. Siegel (1990) focused on the stress relieving abilities of dogs in relation to other pets among older adults aged above sixty-five years. As compared to other pets, dogs make an individual feel secure, and due to their social nature, they provide more companionship than other pets. The research concludes dog owners have lesser visits to health care facilities an attribute that is particularly important in this demographic, older adults, considering these individuals’ high health risk factors. Moreover, research reveals couples who have pets experience lower rates of blood pressure and heart attacks (Allen, Bascovich, & Mendes, 2002) . The correlation between dog ownership and reduced health complications further illustrate on dogs abilities to reduce stress associated with health complications and the costs associated with medical attention.
The ability of dogs to reduce stress in human beings extends beyond the providence of social companionship. Rijken & Beek (2011) assert that dogs are social facilitators in the sense that they enable social interaction a key aspect in the management of stress. For instance, the study illustrates that in some circumstances individuals interact merely to discuss their pets. Dog owners essentially feel a sense of belonging among other pet owners due to the shared similarities. As mentioned, the coping with stress relies on the level of social support as such a sense of belong ing is imperative in overcoming stress.
Owning a dog is not the only guarantee for interactions and experiencing their stress-reducing effects. In recent years, pets such as dogs have become particularly important in the field of psychology through the development and growth of pet or animal-assisted therapy. In pet or animal-assisted therapy, a pet is present during a therapy session in efforts of assisting not only the emotional but also the cognitive needs of the patients. Pets are considered influential in impacting social behavior and self-efficacy in addition to reducing stress. The presence of pets in the hospital settings such as a psychiatric facility or a therapy office has possible positive effects in the physical and social domains since they facilitate interaction and subsequently quick recoveries (Tengwell, 2015) . Barker, Knisely, McCaine, Shubert, and Pandurangi (2010) establish that dogs reduce anxiety and stress in the majority of their interactions with human beings irrespective of the familiarity levels between the dog and the human being.
Additionally, dogs have an evident impact on the lives of children. In the USA, more than forty percent of families with children have dogs. Interactions between dogs and children reduce anxiety while positively contributing to social interactions which are fundamental in reducing stress. Research indicates dogs typically promote positivity and reduce behavioral problems among developing and disordered children. Fund and Leung (2014) focused on interactions of dogs and autistic children through the “animal-assisted play therapy intervention” and concluded that dogs positively impact the social and verbal interactions of these children. Moreover, studies indicate the presence of dogs in the school settings increases sociability of children while reducing negative behaviors such as aggressiveness and predisposition to violence. Apart from increasing social interaction and decreasing behavioral issues, the interaction between dogs and children facilitates increased autonomy, the perception of self in addition to promoting empathy. Dogs interaction with children is important since it supports positive development an important attribute in mitigating stress.
When all the different facets and underlying attributes of human and dog interactions are taken into account, it is evident that dogs have significant influential capabilities in the physical, emotional and psychological responses which encompass stress. However, the majority of the majority of the studies did not concentrate on the association between dogs and stress in human but instead used other variables such as anxiety, social interactions, and social behavior. While the variables analyzed closely relate to the aspect of stress, they do not capture the basics and complexities of stress. As such, the current research focuses on the impact of dogs on stress in humans. Moreover, the studies postulate different views on how dogs reduce stress in humans where some researchers insist it is grounded on the level of familiarity and bond between the owner and the pet while others illustrate it is based social nature of dogs and the level of familiarity is insignificant. The present study intends to clarify whether the interaction between an individual and an unfamiliar dog decreases stress. Primarily, the study aims to add on the field of knowledge on the impact of dogs on stress in humans.
Rationale
Research Questions
General Research Question
What is the impact of dogs on stress in human beings?
Specific Research Questions
Do people prefer having dogs as pets to other animals?
Are people aware of the psychological benefits of having dogs as pets?
Do dogs help to relieve or reduce stress?
The research questions reflect efforts to establish ways to reduce and lessen stress using dogs considering the well documented adverse physical, mental and social effects of stress on human beings. Firstly, it is essential to investigate how many people have a preference for dogs to other pets. Since all pets provide a level of social companionship, examining how many people prefer dogs provides insight into the social nature of dogs. Additionally, it is important to determine why individuals prefer dogs by establishing how many are aware of the psychological benefits associated with the pets. The final question is the baseline of the entire research and intends to find out if indeed dogs reduce stress as postulated by previous studies on the issue.
Hypothesis
The study hypothesizes dogs reduce stress in humans. The research acknowledges the social nature of dogs and their ability to provide companionship and postulates their interaction with humans reduces stress. Moreover, the study posits dogs reduce stress in humans irrespective of the level of familiarity, that is, an individual can interact with an unfamiliar dog and reduce stress.
Methods
To test the hypothesis, the study utilized an online survey where data collection and the entire research occurred on an online platform. The application of the online study illustrates respondents compete for the requirements of the research over the internet and a pre-designed database stores the results to await analysis. The study applied the online survey technique since it is faster, cheaper and flexible. Flexibility illustrates the researcher can determine the structure and the style utilized in an online survey. For instance, the research uses questionnaires in addition to videos to test the hypothesis. Since the study required a distinct differentiation of conditions to test the hypothesis the online survey is the most appropriate research approach.
Participants
The research paper does not focus on a single population demographic but rather the whole society. As such, the study’s population is all individuals irrespective of whether one is a dog owner or not. The sample of the study was randomly selected from Mechanical Turk (Mturk) online platform. Mturk online platform is a portal under Amazon where an individual or an organization can request for “workers.” The platform has more than half a million individuals who sign in in the portal as “workers” as such provide a diverse group for the selection of a sample to represent the population.
Moreover, the site offers for anonymity since the researcher cannot access data on the participants. The aspect of respondent anonymity is one of the most important protections, particularly in social science researchers. The study utilizes a total of 30 participants including 18 females and 12 males. The study did not make a conscious of selecting a particular age group or individuals from a specific cultural or socio-economic group since it sought to prove the hypothesis beyond the limitations of culture and age. However, the researcher assumed all participants were legal adults with the capacity to independently take part in an online survey.
The study applied Mturk online platform in the selection of participants since it is not only quick but also cheap. The researcher chose to collect data from the online platform with the intention of utilizing a diverse sample that would otherwise be impossible in a single geographical area or institution. Furthermore, since the research intended to investigate the impact of dogs on stress without the constraints of demographics, Mturk offers the best option. Since in Mturk, it is impossible for the researcher to determine the demographics of the respondents since the platform does not provide the information.
Materials and designs
The researcher selected two five minutes each video from YouTube. One of the videos, the test video, depicted dogs playing with people. The first half of the test video showcased a dog playing with two children who were about three and five years old. The children in the video were laughing and chasing the dog. The second half of the footage showcased what appeared to be a family, a young couple with a baby of about one year. The father was feeding the dog popcorn using the catch game, and the child kept laughing and smiling every time the dog "caught" the popcorn. The mother appeared to be smiling and laughing a little in the background. The second video, the control video, depicted humans playing. In the first half of the video, two children of about six and three-run around happily in what seems to be a park. In the second half, there was a young girl of about two years old playing and talking to her pony. The researcher intended to provide videos that showcased happy times in both the control and the test videos.
It was expected that the excitement level of participants who watched the video of dogs would increase and their stress level reduces. The difference in the types of videos helped to determine the impact of dogs on stress. Using the two videos enabled the researcher to control other online variables that would influence the participants' stress level as such effect the results of the study. The video was designed in a way that it displayed full screen on the computer or phone of the participants. This design aimed to minimize any external influences on the participants' stress level. This way, the study controlled apparent factors that would affect the results.
Procedure
The study took place in an online platform. First, the researcher will find two videos as described above. Using Mturk, the researcher will randomly get a sample of 30 participants. The videos will be uploaded to the platform. The investigator will come up with notes for the participants to inform them that the survey is for academic purposes and that the results of their study will not be used for any other purpose. The researcher will also come up with an adjusted perceived stress scale (PSS) which contains general questions intended to determine the stress levels of the participants. Typically, the PSS measures stress on monthly grounds, but the adjusted scale will analyze feelings in minutes before and after the video. The PSS will continue ten general questions related to stress each with five answers, “never,” “almost never,” “sometimes,” “fairly often,” and “very often.” Also, the investigator will come up with questions that the participants will answer before and after the survey. The questions are as follows
Before the study
1. Do you prefer dogs as pets over other animals?
2. Do you think having dogs as pets has psychological benefits?
3. What is your current stress level? (With options of High, average and low). Depending on the score of PSS.
After the survey
1. Did the video excite you?
2. Did you experience any change in stress level after watching the video?
3. What is your current stress level? Depending on the score of PSS.
The online platform will request “workers” who would like to take part in a survey. After clicking “yes,” it will open an interface where the prospective participants will read terms and conditions and agree to them before proceeding. At this point, participants are allowed to opt out. After proceeding, the platform will open an interface with the PSS questions which will automatically rate the respondent on the stress levels of high, moderate or low. The interface will then proceed to the questions before the survey. After answering, they will continue to watch the video. When the video finishes playing the platform will automatically open another interface for rating stress levels after the video. On completion, the system automatically proceeds to the last questions. In the end, it will thank the participants for taking part in the study. The site saved the results of the survey which were then collected and analyzed.
Results
Below is a summary of the results
The results were analyzed in tables and application of mathematical notions such as percentages and proportions.
Control sample before watching the video
Preference of dogs as pets over other animals
| Yes | No |
| 10 | 5 |
Having dogs has psychological benefits
| Yes | No |
| 4 | 11 |
Current stress level
| High | Average | Low |
| 5 | 7 | 3 |
After watching the video
Did the video excite you?
| Yes | No |
| 11 | 4 |
Change in stress level
| Yes | No |
| 3 | 12 |
Current stress level
| High | Average | Low |
| 5 | 7 | 3 |
Test sample
Before watching the video
Preference of dogs as pets over other animals
| Yes | No |
| 8 | 7 |
Having dogs has psychological benefits
| Yes | No |
| 2 | 13 |
Current stress level
| High | Average | Low |
| 5 | 8 | 2 |
After watching the video
Did the video excite you?
| Yes | No |
| 13 | 2 |
Change in stress level
| Yes | No |
| 2 | 13 |
Current stress level
| High | Average | Low |
| 3 | 6 | 6 |
Discussion and Conclusions
Summary of Findings
The study established that of the participants (60%) prefer dogs as pets to other animals. However, while many of the people prefer dogs as pets' majority almost 80% of the participants are unaware of the psychological benefits of having dogs. Results of the stress levels of the test sample showed a reduction of stress levels in the participants. After watching the video of dogs interacting with human beings many of the participants recorded a reduction in their stress levels according to the adjusted Perceived Stress Scale. The percentage of respondents with high levels of stress reduced from 34 to 20. Moreover some of the participants who recorded moderate stress levels before watching the dog video recorded low stress levels after watching the video. The results of the research imply that the video had a positive impact on the stress levels of the participants.
Findings in Relation to the Hypothesis
The study hypothesized that dogs reduce stress in people. The study confirmed that interaction with dogs could help to reduce stress levels in humans. The test sample population recorded a decline in stress levels while the control test sample did not experience any apparent change in stress levels. As such, the results confirm that dogs can help to reduce stress. Results of the study also provided insight into the specific research questions. The study concluded most people prefer dogs to other pets. Moreover, the results of the survey suggested most people are not aware of the psychological benefits of dogs.
Implications of the Results on the Overall Literature
The study postulated and confirmed that dogs have a positive influence in reducing stress levels among humans. The results of the studies supported previous studies that have indicated dogs influence social interactions, reduce anxiety, minimize predisposition to aggressiveness and as such decrease stress levels. Moreover, confirmation of the hypothesis validates the application of dogs in animal or pet-assisted therapy, which aim to improve interventions outcome in the psychology and psychiatric fields.
Strengths and limitations of the Study
One of the advantages of the study is that it was easy, affordable and time-saving to find participants and conduct the research online. After preliminary preparations, the process was automated, and the data collection and recording procedures were smooth. Another strength of the study is that it used two samples, the test and control samples. This made it easy to determine the effect of stimuli on the test sample and compare it with the control sample to assess the impact of the stimuli, video showcasing dogs and humans interacting, on the participants' stress levels. The use of both the test and control samples validated the results of the research.
The main limitation of this study was the small sample size. The investigation used a total of 30 participants only. Half of the sample took part in the control experiment while the other half participated in the test experiment. The small sample size reduces the validity of the research. It would have been better if the study could apply a larger sample that is more representative of the human society to make concrete conclusions. Another major limitation of the study is that it is difficult to know if the participants indeed gave sincere responses. Dishonesty is one of the disadvantages of applying an online sample.
Moreover, it was difficult to control all the factors that would affect the stress levels of the participants during the test. Since it was an online test, there are several things over the internet and even within the respondent’s environment that can alter the stress level of a person while playing the video. As such, it is difficult to ascertain whether the changes in stress level were entirely a result of watching the footage showcasing an interaction between humans and dogs.
Conclusions and Possible Future Directions
Dogs provide social companionship in addition to positively influencing human beings with their socialization natures which often reduces stress among humans. The research hypothesized and confirmed that dogs do minimize stress among human beings. Stress is one of the most common physiological problems that cause diverse social, physical and emotional effects to people in the society. The implication that dogs reduce stress is important not only in therapy but also in the day to day lives of individuals in the society. However, the present study was limited in several areas including using a small sample which was predominately female. Future research in the area can focus on an in-depth analysis of the impact of dogs on stress levels through prolonged observations of dog owners.
References
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Allen, K., Bascovich, J., & Mendes, W. (2002). Cardiovascular reactivity and the presence of pets, friends, and spouses: The truth about cats and dogs. Psychosomatic Medicine, 64 , 727-739.
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Rijken, M., & Beeks, S. (2011). About Cats and dogs: Reconsidering the relationship between pet owners and health-related outcomes in community-dwelling elderly. Social Indicators Research, 102 (3), 373-388.
Shore, E. R., Douglass, D., & Riley, M. L. (2005). What's in it for companion animal? Pet attachment and college student's behavior towards pets. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 8 (1), 1-11.
Siegel, J. M. (1990). Stressful life events and: the moderating role of pet ownership. The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 1081-1086.
Tengwell, R. (2015). Canine psychiatry: How a dog can lower perceived stress after a stress inducer. The Red River Psychology Journal, 1 , 1-18.
