Humans And Animals Relationships
Sierra Cannon
March 2, 2014
Professor Rock
Psychology 200
Psychological relationship between Humans and Animals
Whether its social, business, or personal, animals play an extremely important role in the lives of humans. Humans have been using animals to survive since before 100 BC. Animals have been protectors, companions, benefactors, co-workers, and even best friends. Humans need animals in their lives to stay healthy mentally and even physically.
Animals are used in everyday physical therapy to increase movement in the handicapped or elderly. Animals help with physical fitness which will boost their moods substantially. For example, elderly people that are in nursing homes have been able to work with animals as a type of therapy to improve and maintain their function and to increase their quality of life while in the nursing home. It is a proven fact that animals lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and keep their heart in check. Dogs can detect the sudden drop in the level of blood glucose and alert the owner to eat or take their medication. Pets can not only help handicapped and the elderly, but children as well. Children who grow up with pets have less risk of allergies and asthma; many also learn responsibility, compassion, and empathy from having pets.
Pets are natural mood enhancers. One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that most pets fulfill the basic human need to touch. Even hardened criminals in prison have shown long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with pets, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time. Some state prisons will bring in dogs for the inmates to train, so they can learn to interact with others and to give them a purpose. While a person is with an animal their body actually goes through physical changes that make a difference in their mood. The hormone that is associated with stress is actually lowered, while the production of serotonin is being increased from the level it was
March 2, 2014
Professor Rock
Psychology 200
Psychological relationship between Humans and Animals
Whether its social, business, or personal, animals play an extremely important role in the lives of humans. Humans have been using animals to survive since before 100 BC. Animals have been protectors, companions, benefactors, co-workers, and even best friends. Humans need animals in their lives to stay healthy mentally and even physically.
Animals are used in everyday physical therapy to increase movement in the handicapped or elderly. Animals help with physical fitness which will boost their moods substantially. For example, elderly people that are in nursing homes have been able to work with animals as a type of therapy to improve and maintain their function and to increase their quality of life while in the nursing home. It is a proven fact that animals lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and keep their heart in check. Dogs can detect the sudden drop in the level of blood glucose and alert the owner to eat or take their medication. Pets can not only help handicapped and the elderly, but children as well. Children who grow up with pets have less risk of allergies and asthma; many also learn responsibility, compassion, and empathy from having pets.
Pets are natural mood enhancers. One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that most pets fulfill the basic human need to touch. Even hardened criminals in prison have shown long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with pets, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time. Some state prisons will bring in dogs for the inmates to train, so they can learn to interact with others and to give them a purpose. While a person is with an animal their body actually goes through physical changes that make a difference in their mood. The hormone that is associated with stress is actually lowered, while the production of serotonin is being increased from the level it was
Cited: Siegel, J. (1990). Stressful life events and use of physician services among the elderly: The moderating role of pet ownership 58, 1081-1086. Friedmann, E., Katcher, A. H., Thomas, S. A., Lynch, J. J., & Messent, P. R. (1983). Hunt, S. J., Hart, L.A., & Gomulkiewicz, R. (1992). The role of small animals in social interaction between strangers Thelen, E. (2000). Grounded in the world: Developmental origins of the embodied mind Thomson, R. (1968). The Pelican history of psychology. London: Pelican.