Abstract
Although the socializing role of dogs for people has been well documented, the effectiveness of less active animals in precipitating social interactions is not known. This study examined whether a rabbit or a turtle when accompanied by a young woman confederate sitting in a park would attract unfamiliar adults and children and result in social interchange. For comparison, the woman also sat blowing bubbles or with an operating television set. Behaviors of the approaching adults and children were noted, and conversations were tape recorded. Social approaches were frequent when the woman was sitting with the rabbit or blowing bubbles, were numerous when she was sitting with the turtle, and were virtually absent when she was watching television. The rabbit attracted the most adults. Approaching adults and children talked primarily about the stimulus and themselves and made few references to the confederate. In a friendly community setting and without special effort or obvious need by the confederate, unobtrusive animals evoked social approaches and conversations from unfamiliar adults and children.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 245-256 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of Social Psychology |
| Volume | 132 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1992 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
Cite this
Role of small animals in social interactions between strangers. / Hunt, Susan J.; Hart, Lynette A; Gomulkiewicz, Richard.
In: Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 132, No. 2, 1992, p. 245-256.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Role of small animals in social interactions between strangers
AU - Hunt, Susan J.
AU - Hart, Lynette A
AU - Gomulkiewicz, Richard
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - Although the socializing role of dogs for people has been well documented, the effectiveness of less active animals in precipitating social interactions is not known. This study examined whether a rabbit or a turtle when accompanied by a young woman confederate sitting in a park would attract unfamiliar adults and children and result in social interchange. For comparison, the woman also sat blowing bubbles or with an operating television set. Behaviors of the approaching adults and children were noted, and conversations were tape recorded. Social approaches were frequent when the woman was sitting with the rabbit or blowing bubbles, were numerous when she was sitting with the turtle, and were virtually absent when she was watching television. The rabbit attracted the most adults. Approaching adults and children talked primarily about the stimulus and themselves and made few references to the confederate. In a friendly community setting and without special effort or obvious need by the confederate, unobtrusive animals evoked social approaches and conversations from unfamiliar adults and children.
AB - Although the socializing role of dogs for people has been well documented, the effectiveness of less active animals in precipitating social interactions is not known. This study examined whether a rabbit or a turtle when accompanied by a young woman confederate sitting in a park would attract unfamiliar adults and children and result in social interchange. For comparison, the woman also sat blowing bubbles or with an operating television set. Behaviors of the approaching adults and children were noted, and conversations were tape recorded. Social approaches were frequent when the woman was sitting with the rabbit or blowing bubbles, were numerous when she was sitting with the turtle, and were virtually absent when she was watching television. The rabbit attracted the most adults. Approaching adults and children talked primarily about the stimulus and themselves and made few references to the confederate. In a friendly community setting and without special effort or obvious need by the confederate, unobtrusive animals evoked social approaches and conversations from unfamiliar adults and children.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0001740331&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0001740331&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00224545.1992.9922976
DO - 10.1080/00224545.1992.9922976
M3 - Article
VL - 132
SP - 245
EP - 256
JO - Journal of Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Social Psychology
SN - 0022-4545
IS - 2
ER -