Association between owners' demographic features and dogs' behavior measured by the questionnaire PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Scale)

• Grant number: 17/06706-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2017
• End date: October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Experimental Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Carine Savalli Redigolo
• Grantee: Camila de Freitas Allgayer
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The evaluation of dogs' behavior and temperament can be important for the psychological assistance of these animals, to verify the suitability of these animals for adoption and to integrate them in several activities, such as Animal-Assisted Therapy and other types of work (e.g., guide dogs for the blind). The project "Affective relationship between humans and their pets (P2B)", linked to the Center for Applied Research on Human Welfare and Behavior (CEPID Fapesp process 2014/50282-5) is being conducted with the aim of validating the questionnaire PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Scale) to Portuguese language. This questionnaire evaluates the animals' responsiveness to pleasant and aversive experiences; it brings statements about dogs' behavior and the owners should answer according to the degree of agreement with each statement. This project, which is already in progress, will provide information not only regarding dogs' behavior/temperament, but also regarding owners' demographic characteristics. The environment of data collection environment will be virtual and based on owners' voluntary participation, not being required the direct contact with the animals. This research of Scientific Initiation aims to assist the project "Affective relationship between humans and their pets (P2B)" and to use the PANAS tool in order to evaluate the relationship between owners' demographic characteristics and dogs' behavior/temperament. (AU)