Pets as safe havens and secure bases: The moderating role of pet attachment orientations

Sigal Zilcha-Mano; Mario Mikulincer; Phillip R. Shaver

doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2012.06.005

Pets as safe havens and secure bases: The moderating role of pet attachment orientations

Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Mario Mikulincer, Phillip R. Shaver

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We examined the extent to which a pet functions as an attachment figure. In Study 1, 165 pet owners performed a goal exploration task, assessing the number of life goals generated and confidence in goal attainment. In Study 2, 120 pet owners performed a distress-eliciting task while assessing blood pressure. In both studies, participants were divided into three conditions: pet physical presence, pet cognitive presence, and no pet presence. As compared to no pet presence, physical or cognitive pet presence increased the number of life goals generated and self-confidence in goal attainment and reduced blood pressure during the distress-eliciting task. The findings confirm the ability of a pet to provide a safe-haven and a secure-base and the moderating role of attachment insecurities.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	571-580
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Research in Personality
Volume	46
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2012.06.005
State	Published - Oct 2012
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Attachment
Cardiovascular reactivity
Exploration
Human-animal bond
Human-animal interactions
Pet
Stress

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Psychology (all)

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10.1016/j.jrp.2012.06.005

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title = "Pets as safe havens and secure bases: The moderating role of pet attachment orientations",

abstract = "We examined the extent to which a pet functions as an attachment figure. In Study 1, 165 pet owners performed a goal exploration task, assessing the number of life goals generated and confidence in goal attainment. In Study 2, 120 pet owners performed a distress-eliciting task while assessing blood pressure. In both studies, participants were divided into three conditions: pet physical presence, pet cognitive presence, and no pet presence. As compared to no pet presence, physical or cognitive pet presence increased the number of life goals generated and self-confidence in goal attainment and reduced blood pressure during the distress-eliciting task. The findings confirm the ability of a pet to provide a safe-haven and a secure-base and the moderating role of attachment insecurities.",

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Pets as safe havens and secure bases: The moderating role of pet attachment orientations

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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