Psychologists from HSE University Discovered How Love for Animals Affects Relationships with People
Researchers from HSE University have identified a connection between attachment to pets and attitudes toward nature and other people. The study found that the more joy people derive from interacting with their pets, the more they want to help others. However, love for animals is not always associated with concern for nature. The findings were published in the Social Psychology and Society journal.
In recent years, the social aspects of living with animals have become an increasingly popular topic among scientists, who have found connections between a person's attitude toward their pets and their interactions with society. However, it remained unclear how love for pets affected a person's attitudes toward others and the natural world. To explore this, researchers from HSE University examined how animals influence our sense of belonging to the natural world (ecological identity) and adherence to moral standards and ethical behaviours (moral motives).
Ecological identity refers to a person's sense of connection with nature and awareness of their place in the ecosystem. People with a strong ecological identity tend to care about animals, plants, and even inanimate nature, demonstrating responsibility toward future generations.
Moral motives are internal principles that guide our behaviour toward others. They include helping, avoiding harm, and striving for social justice and order.
Can love for pets help us treat other humans and the world with compassion, or is it a feeling directed solely at one creature? To answer this question, researchers from the HSE School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, surveyed 284 people with an average age of 25 years. The participants completed standardised questionnaires, including the modified Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale, the Ecological Identity Scale, and the Moral Motives Scale.
The researchers found that attachment to pets was indeed associated with prosocial personality traits. For example, the more joy a person derived from interacting with their pet, the more likely they are to avoid conflicts, help others and not harm them. However, the link between pet love and ecological identity was less strong than expected.
‘Attachment to pets can indeed promote prosocial behaviour in people,’ comments Sofya Nartova-Bochaver, co-author of the study and Head of the HSE Laboratory for the Psychology of Salutogenic Environment. ‘However, this relationship is more complex than it may seem. For example, recognising pets' rights and the happiness derived from interaction with them does not necessarily enhance ecological identity. In other words, loving animals does not always lead to a broader love for nature and the world at large.’
According to the researchers, attachment to pets affects a person's empathy. This finding supports the use of educational practices related to animal care.
The researchers intend to replicate the test results of the Russian study in other countries. They are planning a cross-cultural study in collaboration with colleagues from India, Italy, and Poland.
See also:
HSE Scientists Propose Using Heart Rate Analysis to Diagnose Anxiety and Depression
A group of scientists at HSE University have discovered how anxiety and depression can be diagnosed by analysing heart rate. It turns out that under mental stress, the heart rate of individuals with a predisposition to mental health disorders differs from that of healthy individuals, especially when performing more complex tasks. These changes in cardiovascular parameters can even be detected using a pulse oximeter or a smartwatch. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Researchers at HSE in St Petersburg Develop Superior Machine Learning Model for Determining Text Topics
Topic models are machine learning algorithms designed to analyse large text collections based on their topics. Scientists at HSE Campus in St Petersburg compared five topic models to determine which ones performed better. Two models, including GLDAW developed by the Laboratory for Social and Cognitive Informatics at HSE Campus in St Petersburg, made the lowest number of errors. The paper has been published in PeerJ Computer Science.
Narcissistic and Workaholic Leaders Guide Young Firms to Success
Scientists at HSE University—St. Petersburg studied how the founder's personal characteristics impact a young firm's performance. It turns out that a narcissist and workaholic who also fosters innovation will effectively grow their company. The paper has been published in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.
Biologists at HSE University Warn of Potential Errors in MicroRNA Overexpression Method
Researchers at HSE University and the RAS Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry have discovered that a common method of studying genes, which relies on the overexpression of microRNAs, can produce inaccurate results. This method is widely used in the study of various pathologies, in particular cancers. Errors in experiments can lead to incorrect conclusions, affecting the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The study findings have been published in BBA.
Green Energy Patents Boost Company Profitability
An ESG strategy—Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance—not only helps preserve the environment but can also generate tangible income. Thus, the use of renewable energy sources (RES) and green technologies in the energy sector enhances return on investment and profitability. In contrast, higher CO2 emissions result in lower financial performance. This has been demonstrated in a collaborative study by the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences and the European University at St. Petersburg. Their findings have been published in Frontiers in Environmental Science.
HSE Scientist Optimises Solution of Hydrodynamics Problems
Roman Gaydukov, Associate Professor at the MIEM HSE School of Applied Mathematics, has modelled the fluid flow around a rotating disk with small surface irregularities. His solution allows for predicting fluid flow behaviour without the need for powerful supercomputers. The results have been published in Russian Journal of Mathematical Physics.
Neuroscientists from HSE University Learn to Predict Human Behaviour by Their Facial Expressions
Researchers at the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience at HSE University are using automatic emotion recognition technologies to study charitable behaviour. In an experiment, scientists presented 45 participants with photographs of dogs in need and invited them to make donations to support these animals. Emotional reactions to the images were determined through facial activity using the FaceReader program. It turned out that the stronger the participants felt sadness and anger, the more money they were willing to donate to charity funds, regardless of their personal financial well-being. The study was published in the journal Heliyon.
Physicists from Russia and Brazil Unveil Mystery behind Complex Superconductor Patterns
Scientists at HSE MIEM and MIPT have demonstrated that highly complex spatial structures, similar to the intricate patterns found in nature, can emerge in superconductors. Mathematically, these patterns are described using the Ginzburg–Landau equation at a specific combination of parameters known as the Bogomolny point. The paper has been published in the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter.
Adhesive Tape Helps Create Innovative THz Photodetector
An international team of researchers, including scientists at HSE University and Moscow Pedagogical State University (MPGU), has developed a novel photodetector composed of a thin superconducting film, capable of detecting weak terahertz (THz) radiation. This discovery holds promise for studying objects in space, developing wireless broadband communication systems, and making advancements in spectroscopy. The study has been published in Nano Letters.
Operation of Cellular Networks Found Similar to Bacteria Growth in Petri Dish
Scientists at the HSE Laboratory for Computational Physics have developed a new model for analysing communication networks that can significantly enhance the speed of mobile communications. To achieve this, the researchers used computational physics methods and phase transition models. It turns out that the functioning of cellular networks is in many ways similar to the growth of surfaces in physics. The study was performed using the HPC cHARISMa cluster at HSE University. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Physics.