1) The study aims to investigate whether people who owned dogs as children have more empathy towards others as adults compared to those who did not own dogs as children. 2) Previous research on the relationship between pet ownership and empathy in children had mixed findings, with one study finding higher empathy in children with pets, and another finding differences only based on type of pet owned. 3) The proposed study would administer questionnaires to 1000 adults in Southwestern Ontario and conduct follow-up interviews to further examine the relationship between childhood dog ownership and adult empathy.

1. :: HAPPY TAILS :: A STUDY OF EMPATHY IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS Monday, June 16, 2008 OL/CC 233 Research Project Sarah Atfield Natasha Crompton-Dunn Lauren Hughes Amanda Shine

15. South Western Ontario