Choosing a Dog Is Not a Coincidence
Have you ever noticed how some dogs and their owners look alike? This phenomenon is humorously depicted in Disney’s “101 Dalmatians,” where dog walkers and their pets strikingly mirror each other. From a long-haired woman with a cocker spaniel to a tall, burly man walking a sturdy Bernese Mountain Dog, the pairings seem too perfect to be accidental. Science has explored this curious alignment to unveil the underlying causes.
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A 2015 study highlighted by CNN suggests that humans often choose dogs that resemble themselves as a form of comfort and reassurance. “One reason we desire certain things is because they are familiar,” states Art Markman, a cognitive scientist at the University of Texas at Austin. A dog may feel familiar because it looks like you or it resembles a pet you had during your childhood, providing a comforting and familiar image. “This flash of recognition can make you feel connected to something, increasing the likelihood of choosing it, often without realizing that the choice was partly influenced by its resemblance to you,” explains Markman.
In 2004, researchers conducted an experiment where participants matched 45 dogs to their owners using only photographs taken separately. “We believe this matching is likely because purebred dogs have predictable looks and temperaments, allowing people to select a dog that best matches their own appearance, personality, and activity level,” Michael Roy, the study’s author and a psychology professor at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, explained in an email to CNN.
Psychologists also emphasize the significance of the “mere exposure effect,” a cognitive bias where repeated exposure to someone or something increases one’s favorable feelings towards it. “If most people in your surroundings have Labradors, you might grow to like them more because you see them often, which could increase your chances of getting one,” adds Michael Roy.
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