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One fascinating area of inquiry in psychology is the testing of commonly held beliefs. Is there such a thing as Gaydar (i.e., ability to tell if someone is gay)? Does birth order really have an effect on one's career path? All other things equal, do tall men have greater success with the ladies? I'd be happy to tackle each of these fascinating issues in a future post but for today let's delve into the world of dog lovers. I have often heard the commonly held belief that dogs tend to resemble their owners. Is there any truth to this allegation? Both dogs and people are extraordinarily varied in their morphological traits. It's hard to believe that the British Bulldog, the Neapolitan Mastiff, the Chihuahua, the Irish Wolfhound, and the Mexican hairless dog, are examples of the same species. Some dogs are lumbering and lethargic whereas others move with majestic grace. Some have squashed muzzles whilst others have elongated snouts. Labradors have short coats in contrast to the free-flowing coat of the Afghan.
Returning to my original question, do dogs and owners assort along similar "looks"? The methodology for testing this proposition is quite simple: take separate photos of dogs and their owners. Place these in a randomized order and ask participants to match the naturally occurring pairings. Based on two separate studies (see references below), the answer is a resounding yes! One evolutionary-based explanation for this phenomenon is that in the same manner that humans engage in assortative mating ("birds of a feather flock together"), they extend this mechanism to their pet choice. In the parlance of evolutionary theory, pet choice would be construed as an exaptation namely a byproduct of an adaptation.
The American populace has been closely monitoring one crucial decision facing Barack Obama. No, I am not referring to his recent appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Of course, the question du jour is which dog breed will the Obamas end up choosing? In a recent television interview with Barbara Walters, Barack opined that he did not wish to adopt a "girly dog" rather he prefers a "big rambunctious dog." Well, Mr. Obama is a tall man with a commanding presence; so far so good regarding the theory. If I may provide Mr. Obama with some unsolicited advice, he needs a dog that is in line with his elegance, self-confidence, aristocratic stance, and slight aloofness. No Labradors and Golden Retrievers need apply. It is down to the Borzoi (historically owned by the Russian aristocracy), or the Afghan (notwithstanding the war being waged in Afghanistan!). Mr. Obama, I'll be expecting my Green Card in the mail. You're welcome.
I started off today's post by discussing commonly held beliefs. Many such beliefs are founded on the vividness of anecdotal evidence. So let's put this theory to the proverbial anecdotal test. Below I have attached photos of two Belgian shepherds.
This breed is known for its intelligence, majestic beauty, and regal movement. If the theory is correct, we should expect their owners to possess these traits. Any guesses? See the photo below for the owners. QED.
Ciao for now.
References:
Payne, C., & Jaffe, K. (2005). Self seeks like: Many humans choose their dog pets following rules used for assortative mating. Journal of Ethology, 23, 15-18.
Roy, M. M., & Christenfeld, N. J. S. (2004). Do dogs resemble their owners? Psychological Science, 15, 361-363.
Photo credits:
Borzoi: http://puppydogweb.com/gallery/borzois/borzoi_adams.jpg
