| Sumario: | The decision to acquire a pet is foundational to the emergence of a psychological bond between humans and their companion animals (HAB). Humans report social comfort and belonging as their primary motives for pet ownership. However, the popularity of "pedigree animals" suggests the presence of other factors, such as animals utilized as status symbols or considered as extensions of social identity. We tested this effect by requesting participants (n = 250) to evaluate the adoptability and cuteness of a series of cat images belonging to pedigree and non-pedigree conditions (30 images/condition, n = 60). Participants also completed two online questionnaires assessing their perceived status attainment (PSA) and aspirations for social status (SA). Accounting for the effects of participant age, sex, and ownership status, we found a differential effect of both social status metrics on adoptability ratings. People scoring high on PSA and SA showed a reluctance to adopt cats presented in the non-pedigree condition – though it did not translate into an increased preference for pedigree cats. Cuteness ratings followed a similar pattern with adoptability, as the perception of cuteness of non-pedigree cats declined with heightened status sensitivity. However, while cuteness remained relatively constant across different PSA scores in the pedigree condition, higher SA slightly increased the reported cuteness ratings of pedigree cats. Our study provides tentative experimental support for the role of social status sensitivity in human–animal interactions, and calls attention to other socio-cognitive mechanisms beyond the paradigm of attachment and belongingness.
|
|---|