5. Conclusions
This study found that pet dog owners that mentally activated a memory with their pet dog reported less of a decrease in positive affect from before to after an experimental stressor compared to participants that mentally activated a general positive memory not featuring their dog, regardless of the type of stressor received. However, groups did not significantly differ in cardiovascular stress reactivity, including blood pressure and heart rate, nor in negative affect or negative self-evaluation. Second, the effect of mental activation of one’s pet dog did not significantly differ among those completing a social-evaluative stressor compared to those completing a cognitive stressor. Results suggest that mental activation of one’s pet dog may not be sufficient to elicit a social support schema to significantly impact cardiovascular stress reactivity. Future research is necessary to parse out the level at which individual differences and human–animal interaction characteristics may impact results.