Buzz
If you find yourself empathizing more with the plight of pets than human suffering, you're not alone. A study published earlier this year in *Society & Animals* suggests that humans tend to feel more pity for a dog in distress than for a human in similar situations.
To explore if people are more concerned for dogs than for humans, researchers at Northwestern University recruited 240 undergraduates, aged 18 to 23, and had them read a series of fabricated newspaper reports about a senseless attack. In all stories, the victim was struck with a baseball bat, suffered a broken leg and cuts, and was found unconscious by emergency responders.
Although the details stayed the same, the researchers varied the identity of the victim in the stories: an adult, a 1-year-old child, a 6-year-old dog, or a puppy. (Yes, this study did involve a baby being hit with a bat, all for the sake of science.)
The researchers hypothesized that it would be the victims' age, rather than species, that influenced the level of empathy. A younger victim would be perceived as more vulnerable, which would elicit stronger feelings. Using a numerical scale from 7 (minimal empathy) to 112 (maximum empathy), participants were asked how they felt about each case. The most empathy was expressed for the infant, followed by the puppy and older dog. The adult human, while still seen as tragic, received the lowest score. "Age makes a difference for empathy toward human victims, but not for dog victims," the researchers concluded.
Female participants, who accounted for nearly 75% of the study group, were found to show significantly more sympathy toward all the victims than their male counterparts.
The authors suggest that the results stem, in part, from the perceived vulnerability of the victims, regardless of whether they were puppies or children. Ultimately, one thing is clear: Our concern for furry companions matches that of our concern for young humans.
