Many first year college students under go the shock that it is to leave a pet at home. Pets are considered attachment figures. The purpose of this study is to find the relationship between college students away from home and their pets and how the relationship strain affects the college students' performance in the class room. I am curious about this topic because it is an issue I address first hand. I have two dogs at home and for the first few weeks of school it was hard to be away from them. I wanted to see if other students had a hard time coping with being away at school while their pets remain at home. I got this idea by looking at peer-reviewed, empirical studies done by Elise R. Shore, Deanna K. Douglas, and Michelle L. Riley in their studies entitled: "What's in it for the Companion Animal? Pet Attachment and College Students' Behaviors toward Pets" and "Pet Owner Behaviors and Attachment to Yard Versus House Dogs". Shore, E. (2005).
The procedures for the articles were very similar because they were given by the same group studying them. The results came out different because the women doing the study applied it to different aspects of humans and their relationships to pets. The participants in the study were college students from the Wichita State University. They were typically older, married, and employed either full or part-time. The participants were instructed to think their pet, if they had more than one they were asked to only choose one to think about for the duration of the study.
[...] This then limits my ability to come up with demographic correlations and finding out different reasons for why students with pets at home would feel more homesick. I expect my results to match my hypothesis for first year students. I think that first year students with pets at home are more likely to be homesick than other students with pets at home. Older students have learned to cope with being away, while first years are still adjusting and going home to a pet is a safe haven for them. [...]
[...] The main correlation in this study would be to look at the survey of the students feelings and performances in the class room versus their feelings and activities at home with their pets. Discussion The correlation study works best because I believe it effectively will portray results that will either support my hypothesis or make me consider a new one. Either way I will end up with logical material that I can make educated correlations about. This type also works well because it could be done a low based budget. [...]
[...] The owners were then asked to evaluate their level of attachment to their chosen animal as well as questions about the owners own race and background. The authors purpose “sought to ask pet owners about activities that contribute to the well-being of dogs and cats” (Shore 2005). The benefits of were broke up into eight categories: food, shelter, health care, mental stimulation/play, contact with humans, safety, freedom from fear, abuse, and other; one example given for other is the pet owners motivation to look for advice regarding the care their pet. [...]
[...] this study simply gives examples to what kind of behaviors the dog will receive based on its living location (Shore 2006). Hypothesis I predict that college students who have a strong attachment to their pet(s) at home are positively correlated with the student being homesick. Research Methods The research study I propose is a correlation study. A correlation study is best because both variables in the case can be studied separately and then brought back together to create a theory. [...]
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