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Cited by 143Human-Animal Interaction StudiesAnimal Behavior and Welfare StudiesAnimal Law and Welfare

The Complexity of the Human–Animal Bond: Empathy, Attachment and Anthropomorphism in Human–Animal Relationships and Animal Hoarding

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Prato-Previde, Emanuela, Basso Ricci, Elisa, Colombo, Elisa Silvia·2022·Animals
DOI 10.3390/ani12202835PMC PMC9597799
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Abstract

The human–animal relationship is ancient, complex and multifaceted. It may have either positive effects on humans and animals or poor or even negative and detrimental effects on animals or both humans and animals. A large body of literature has investigated the beneficial effects of this relationship in which both human and animals appear to gain physical and psychological benefits from living together in a reciprocated interaction. However, analyzing the literature with a different perspective it clearly emerges that not rarely are human–animal relationships characterized by different forms and levels of discomfort and suffering for animals and, in some cases, also for people. The negative physical and psychological consequences on animals’ well-being may be very nuanced and concealed, but there are situations in which the negative consequences are clear and striking, as in the case of animal violence, abuse or neglect. Empathy, attachment and anthropomorphism are human psychological mechanisms that are considered relevant for positive and healthy relationships with animals, but when dysfunctional or pathological determine physical or psychological suffering, or both, in animals as occurs in animal hoarding. The current work reviews some of the literature on the multifaceted nature of the human–animal relationship; describes the key role of empathy, attachment and anthropomorphism in human–animal relationships; seeks to depict how these psychological processes are distorted and dysfunctional in animal hoarding, with highly detrimental effects on both animal and human well-being.

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4 of the 293 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

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  17. Brown, 1997, The contribution of attachment to pets and attachment to nature to dissociation and absorption, Dissociation, 10, 125

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Authors
Prato-Previde, E., Basso Ricci, E., & Colombo, E. S.
Affiliations
  • Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
  • Associazione Asino Anch’io, 20080 Basiglio, Italy
  • Petlife, 20151 Milan, Italy
ORCID
Venue
Animals
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2022-10-19
Volume
12
Issue
20
Pages
2835
ISSN
2076-2615 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ani12202835
PMC
PMC9597799
OpenAlex
W4306836252
Semantic Scholar
198031df51410ae870b9e02a4d0d22a77aea4e40
Cited by
121
References
293
Citations by year
2026: 42 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 1
FWCI
2.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Animals (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
  • Social Sciences › Law › Animal Law and Welfare
Keywords
human-animal relations, animal hoarding, empathy, attachment, anthropomorphism, animal welfare, animal cruelty, animal neglect, animal violence, human-animal interaction, psychological suffering

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