Why the research is important

Human-animal interactions and human health is a topic marginalised by most mainstream scientists. The issue of intellectual suppression (Marks, 2002) occurs and it is interesting to note that the J of HP has no articles on this topic. Only one article even mentions animals and that was in relation to food.

‘I feel passionately about the relevance of psychology, economics, socio-biology, politics and ethics to the production of health’ (Marks, 2002, p.6).

If health psychology is really a dynamic field, a true hybrid with eclecticism, then it could be the place for academic research into the relevance of animals to human health. With respect to Bigger-Pictureology (Marks, 2002) it could be positioned within the second ring of the health onion model, that is, social and community influences.

It is emerging as a public health issue.

Headey and Grabka (2003) in a cross-cultural, longitudinal study provides evidence that pet-owning can reduce national health expenditure. They estimate Germany could annually save Euros 5.59 billion and Australia A$3.86 billion.

Proposed methodology

•          Ethnography

–         Archival data search of theses (447 loctaed since 1980)

•          DAI and MAI – critical review of studies 1980 - 2008

–         Online survey

•          Quantitative study

–         Narrative analysis of stories

•          Online sources

•          Interviews

•          Focus groups

•          Interpretative communities

Ethnography

•          paradigm – dominant worldview – knowledge power relationship

–         positivism – separation of knower form subject  - to form a true objective reality

–         matrix of domination of masculine scientists as the knowers

–         other – important differences in positionality

•          objection from feminist, interpretive, critical researchers

–         shift focus between relationship of researcher and researched

–         do not need to eliminate values

–         reflexivity 

•          recognition of researcher’s part in the research process

•          a variety of power dimensions exist

•          researcher aware of positionality related to a set of attributes and identities which contribute to research and impact on the research process

–         positionality or status characteristics impact every aspect of social life

•          crucial factor is

–         ‘how people structure and give meaning to their social experience’ (Hesse Biber & Leavy, 2004, p. 134).

Narrative psychology

•          refers to a viewpoint or a stance within psychology which is interested in the storied nature of human conduct (Sarbin, 1986)

•          how human beings deal with experience by constructing stories and listening to the stories of others

•          psychologists studying narrative are challenged by the notion that human activity and experience are filled with meaning

•          stories - rather than logical arguments are the process by which meaning is communicated