The Social Neuroscience Of Human Animal Interaction

Our relationships with animals, as anyone with a beloved dog or cat knows, can be among the most significant in our lives. But why are we so attached to our pets? What kind of health, developmental, and psychological impacts do animals have on us? And what practical benefits -- for animals and humans alike -- can be gained from a deeper understanding of human-animal interactions? In this volume, a cross-disciplinary group of authors that includes behavioral psychologists, neuroscientists, geneticists, ethicists and veterinarians seek to understand human-animal interactions by applying research in the neurobiology and genetics that underlie human social functioning. Chapters describe the concepts and methodologies that social neuroscientists use to understand human social relationships, functioning, and the social bases of cognition, and apply these to understanding the role of animals in our lives. Authors present evolutionary and developmental perspectives, and weigh the implications of human-animal interactions research for animal welfare. Clinical applications include animal-assisted therapies for people with disabilities, acute or chronic health conditions, and social or emotional difficulties. Clear and accessible, this book is intended for a broad readership that includes clinicians, teachers, and anyone interested in how and why animals affect us the way they do.

Introduction to Human-Animal Interaction focuses on the human dimension of interacting with other animals. This book introduces recent developments, theories, and debates in the relatively new research area of Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) and focuses on the social and life sciences aspect of these interactions. Experts from different academic disciplines provide an overview for students and professionals interested in how humans and other animals interact, and what advantages and disadvantages emerge for both parties in this relationship. The book starts with the theories and mechanisms supporting our interactions with animals, such as human-animal communication, and it then covers the implications of HAI in terms of ethics and welfare. After discussing cultural differences and forensic aspects in human-animal interaction (e.g., wildlife crime and animal abuse), the book examines evidence in the area of animal-assisted intervention. The final chapters give an overview of current research in specific human-animal interaction systems: human-pet, human-livestock and human-wildlife interaction. The book offers a scientific, evidence-based perspective on human-animal interaction, providing pedagogical tools to make a systematic, critical and constructive evaluation of research in HAI possible. It offers a range of in-text pedagogical features like a subject index, chapter MCQs, open questions, further reading, and additional digital resources including videos which are accessible via QR codes or through the associated website. This textbook provides the fundamental tools for achieving a comprehensive, current, and critical overview of the HAI field and is an integral text for undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking modules in human-animal interaction, in social sciences such as anthropology, cultural studies, criminology, ethics and laws or in life sciences such as animal behaviour, conservation and welfare, biology, neuroscience, physiology, psychology, public health and those studying veterinary science.

This book provides a multidisciplinary overview of the impact of human–animal interaction on well-being from childhood to later life. It presents a life course perspective to the study of human–animal interaction, addressing concepts of family and the role of pets therein, as well as the impact of companion animals on child development and successful aging. This book fills a gap in the existing literature by framing the study of human–animal interaction, including the role of animal-assisted interventions on well-being, in a broader social and behavioral context.

The Waltham Book of Human-Animal Interaction: Benefits and Responsibilities of Pet Ownership discusses the scientific study of the relationship between man and animals, focusing on the behavior of companion animals, and how humans and animals affect each other's behavior. This first half of this book discusses research on benefits that have been found to accumulate from associations with animals, and the role of animals in care and therapy program. The responsibilities toward the animals kept, and how to enhance their care and welfare are considered in the next chapters. The human response to pet loss is also elaborated. This publication is beneficial to veterinary students and individuals concerned with the study of human-animal interactions.

Career Paths in Human-Animal Interaction for Social and Behavioral Scientists is an essential text for students and professionals wanting to pursue a career in human-animal interaction (HAI). It is exclusively designed to navigate this field and provide information on the best education, training, and background one might need to incorporate HAI into a successful career. Kogan and Erdman bring together a diverse range of insights from HAI social scientists who have secured or created their HAI job. The book highlights six categories of work settings: academia, private practice, corporations/for profit companies, non-profit organizations, government, and other positions, to show the growing number of opportunities to blend social science interests with the desire to incorporate HAI into their careers. The book clearly outlines the career paths available to social science students and professionals, from careers connected to human services of psychology, therapy, social work, and journalism, to research or other scholarship.

A textbook that lays down the foundational principles for understanding social neuroscience Humans, like many other animals, are a highly social species. But how do our biological systems implement social behaviors, and how do these processes shape the brain and biology? Spanning multiple disciplines, Introduction to Social Neuroscience seeks to engage students and scholars alike in exploring the effects of the brain’s perceived connections with others. This wide-ranging textbook provides a quintessential foundation for comprehending the psychological, neural, hormonal, cellular, and genomic mechanisms underlying such varied social processes as loneliness, empathy, theory-of-mind, trust, and cooperation. Stephanie and John Cacioppo posit that our brain is our main social organ. They show how the same objective relationship can be perceived as friendly or threatening depending on the mental states of the individuals involved in that relationship. They present exercises and evidence-based findings readers can put into practice to better understand the neural roots of the social brain and the cognitive and health implications of a dysfunctional social brain. This textbook’s distinctive features include the integration of human and animal studies, clinical cases from medicine, multilevel analyses of topics from genes to societies, and a variety of methodologies. Unveiling new facets to the study of the social brain’s anatomy and function, Introduction to Social Neuroscience widens the scientific lens on human interaction in society. The first textbook on social neuroscience intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students Chapters address the psychological, neural, hormonal, cellular, and genomic mechanisms underlying the brain’s perceived connections with others Materials integrate human and animal studies, clinical cases, multilevel analyses, and multiple disciplines

This compelling volume provides a broad and accessible overview on the rapidly developing field of social neuroscience. A major goal of the volume is to integrate research findings on the neural basis of social behavior across different levels of analysis from rodent studies on molecular neurobiology to behavioral neuroscience to fMRI imaging data on human social behavior.