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Cats and Dogs’ Interaction with Humans and their Effect on Executive Functioning: A Trial on Young Adults

Azimzadehtork, Taraneh LU and Toledo Borda, Sebastian Sergio LU (2021) PSYK11 20202
Department of Psychology
Abstract
Psychological studies report the benefits due to the interaction with animals. There is a consensus amongst researchers indicating the cognitive benefits such as enhanced concentration and attention span. Previous studies have focused on the elderly, children, and cognitively impaired individuals allowing further studies on other populations. This study was intended to analyze whether a cat, a dog, or the control condition impact young adults' executive functioning. The method used was an experimental procedure designed to measure scanning, search speed, and mental flexibility using the Trail making test (TMT). The sample consisted of 18 participants (mean age as 27.94), excluding one outlier from the statistical analysis. The result of an... (More)
Psychological studies report the benefits due to the interaction with animals. There is a consensus amongst researchers indicating the cognitive benefits such as enhanced concentration and attention span. Previous studies have focused on the elderly, children, and cognitively impaired individuals allowing further studies on other populations. This study was intended to analyze whether a cat, a dog, or the control condition impact young adults' executive functioning. The method used was an experimental procedure designed to measure scanning, search speed, and mental flexibility using the Trail making test (TMT). The sample consisted of 18 participants (mean age as 27.94), excluding one outlier from the statistical analysis. The result of an analysis of variance reported a non-significant p-value suggesting further research on the subject. This study also aimed to evaluate participants' emotional state differences due to the interaction with the animals. A questionnaire intended to assess participants' perceived relaxation, stress, happiness, and overall positive emotion was distributed between conditions. Four separate analyzes were performed on each emotional state, confirming a statistically non-significant result on the question related to participants' stress level; however, the remaining questions resulted in a statistically significant outcome providing evidence for the emotional benefits of human-animal interaction. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Tidigare studier har rapporterat fördelarna av interaktionen med djur. Forskarna är eniga om att några av de positiva aspekterna inkluderar kognitiva förmågor, såsom förbättrad koncentration och uppmärksamhet. Tidigare studier har främst fokuserat på äldre, barn och personer med kognitiva nedsättningar vilket möjliggör ytterligare studier på andra grupper. Denna studie var avsedd att undersöka en katt och en hunds påverkan på unga vuxnas exekutiva funktioner mot en kontroll intervention. Metoden som användes var ett experimentellt utförande utformat för att mäta visuell skanning, sökhastighet och mental flexibilitet med hjälp av Trail Making Test (TMT). Urvalet bestod av 18 deltagare (medelålder 27,94), var av ett som avvek från den... (More)
Tidigare studier har rapporterat fördelarna av interaktionen med djur. Forskarna är eniga om att några av de positiva aspekterna inkluderar kognitiva förmågor, såsom förbättrad koncentration och uppmärksamhet. Tidigare studier har främst fokuserat på äldre, barn och personer med kognitiva nedsättningar vilket möjliggör ytterligare studier på andra grupper. Denna studie var avsedd att undersöka en katt och en hunds påverkan på unga vuxnas exekutiva funktioner mot en kontroll intervention. Metoden som användes var ett experimentellt utförande utformat för att mäta visuell skanning, sökhastighet och mental flexibilitet med hjälp av Trail Making Test (TMT). Urvalet bestod av 18 deltagare (medelålder 27,94), var av ett som avvek från den statistiska analysen. Resultatet av variansanalysen rapporterade ett icke-signifikant p-värde vilket öppnar upp möjligheter för framtida forskning inom ämnet. Denna studie syftade också till att utvärdera hur deltagarnas känslotillstånd påverkades av interaktionen med djuren. Ett frågeformulär avsedd att bedöma deltagarnas upplevda avkoppling, stress, glädje och övergripande positiva känslor påverkades mellan betingelserna. Fyra enskilda analyser utfördes på varje emotionellt tillstånd, vilket bekräftade ett statistiskt icke-signifikant resultat på frågan relaterad till deltagarnas stressnivå; emellertid resulterade de återstående frågorna i ett statistiskt signifikant resultat som gav bevis för de emotionella fördelarna med interaktion mellan människa och djur. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Azimzadehtork, Taraneh LU and Toledo Borda, Sebastian Sergio LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYK11 20202
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
human-animal interaction, executive functioning, trail making test, dog, cat
language
English
id
9037632
date added to LUP
2021-01-22 15:54:26
date last changed
2021-01-22 15:54:26
@misc{9037632,
  abstract     = {{Psychological studies report the benefits due to the interaction with animals. There is a consensus amongst researchers indicating the cognitive benefits such as enhanced concentration and attention span. Previous studies have focused on the elderly, children, and cognitively impaired individuals allowing further studies on other populations. This study was intended to analyze whether a cat, a dog, or the control condition impact young adults' executive functioning. The method used was an experimental procedure designed to measure scanning, search speed, and mental flexibility using the Trail making test (TMT). The sample consisted of 18 participants (mean age as 27.94), excluding one outlier from the statistical analysis. The result of an analysis of variance reported a non-significant p-value suggesting further research on the subject. This study also aimed to evaluate participants' emotional state differences due to the interaction with the animals. A questionnaire intended to assess participants' perceived relaxation, stress, happiness, and overall positive emotion was distributed between conditions. Four separate analyzes were performed on each emotional state, confirming a statistically non-significant result on the question related to participants' stress level; however, the remaining questions resulted in a statistically significant outcome providing evidence for the emotional benefits of human-animal interaction.}},
  author       = {{Azimzadehtork, Taraneh and Toledo Borda, Sebastian Sergio}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Cats and Dogs’ Interaction with Humans and their Effect on Executive Functioning: A Trial on Young Adults}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}