It’s the topic of one never-ending conundrum — do dogs look like their owners? If this is indeed true, do dogs grow to mimic their owners, or do owners choose a dog in their own image? It’s great when science confirms something we already instinctively know. According to a U.S. study, it’s official — dogs do look like their owners.
Those who believe purebred dogs look like their owners are barking up the right tree, but when it came to matching a mutt to its owner, the pattern went to the dogs.
When people select a dog, they look for one that bears some resemblance to them at some level, and when they get a purebred dog, they get what they want. But it’s more of a crapshoot when it comes to choosing a mongrel, as you never know what they’ll look like when they mature.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego explored the myth that owners look like their dogs by testing if judges could match photographs of dogs with their owners. Psychologists Michael Roy and Professor Nicholas Christenfeld reported their findings in an issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the American Psychological Society.
45 dogs and their owners chosen at random were photographed separately at three San Diego dog parks. The judges — 28 undergraduates taking psychology classes at UC San Diego — were shown pictures of the owners and 2 dogs and asked to match the correct dog with its owner. The pictures were taken so that the background was different for dog and owner.
A dog was deemed to resemble its owner if more than half the judges matched them correctly. The judges correctly matched 25 purebreds with their owners nearly 2 out of 3 times.
Of the 25 purebreds, there were 16 correct matches and 9 misses. For 20 mutts in the study, there were 7 matches, 4 ties and 9 misses.
“When you pick a purebred, you pick it specifically because of how it’s going to look as a grown-up.” said Nicholas Cristenfeld, UCSD professor of psychology and co-author of the study. He added that mutt owners make their choice on the spur-of-the-moment at a dog pound, not knowing what a puppy will look like.
“There is a certain stereotype of person from each breed.” said Tracy Cavaciuti, a French Bulldog breeder in Connecticut.
So what kind of person likes the pop-eyed, pointy-eared, pug-nosed French Bulldog? “Actually, they’re quite trendy and good-looking.” Cavaciuti said. But Afghan Hound people are a different story. “You can spot them a mile away.” she said. “They’re very doggy.”
How the Afghan Hound or the French Bulldog resemble their owners is unclear since the study found judges didn’t use any single characteristic to make the matches. There was no significant correlation between dogs and owners on the basis of size, attractiveness, friendliness and energy level when considered separately.
“People are attracted to looks and temperaments that reflect themselves or how they perceive themselves.” said Gail Miller, a spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club. Miller, who has owned several bearded collies, described her ‘beardies’ as gregarious, active dogs. “I’m definitely like them — very outgoing, likes to have fun and get active.”
But the study was unable pinpoint what factors were responsible for this resemblance. “We can’t tell whether it’s a physical resemblance or a stylistic resemblance.” Christenfeld told New Scientist. “One gets a sense that it is a mix of these different things.”
But some pairs were more obvious than others. “There was a goofy guy, smiling with slightly shaggy hair and a golden retriever with a goofy smile, the same hair — everyone said ‘these 2 go together’.”
The researchers also explored whether any resemblance had developed while the person had owned the dog, in the same manner that a 1987 report suggested the facial appearance of married couples converged over time.
They discounted the ‘length of ownership’ theory when they found no correlation between the degree of resemblance and the time the dog and owner had been together.
The researchers said that a person was also likely to spend more time choosing a purebred puppy and thus be more likely to get what they want. The study was unable to establish if owners choose dogs on the basis of hairiness, size, sharpness of features, attractiveness, perceived friendliness or perceived energy level.
“The judges did not make correct matches by simply matching hairy people with hairy dogs, or big people with big dogs.” the authors wrote. “It may be that the judges used some other more subtle trait.”
“It’s not people coming to look like their dogs when they live together. Instead it’s that people pick a dog that resembles them.” explains Christenfeld.
The pair also looked to see if specific features like hairiness and size were responsible for the resemblance. The only feature they identified that might have been useful to the judges was perceived friendliness, says Christenfeld.
Sara Ward, a spokeswoman for the UK’s Kennel Club, says there are “classic examples” of people looking like their dog, such as seeing bigger dogs with bigger handlers.
“And if you are showing an Afghan — often it is quite an elegant person running round with them.” she told New Scientist.
Christenfeld has yet to discover what it is that ‘resonates’ between a human and their dog. It could be a similarity of physical attributes or of personality traits. The matches were based less on specific obvious characteristics. But the researchers noted, “It does appear that, as in the case of selecting a spouse, people want a creature like themselves.”
According to Australian psychologist Dr. Eleonora Gullone, who studies human-animal interactions at Melbourne’s Monash University, the study may have been biased by judges’ preconceptions about purebred dogs. “People have preconceived notions of the personality of dog breeds.” she said.
The researchers did find a trend that people with a friendly outlook on life were more likely to choose friendly-looking dogs.
The U.S. team said other research had found a link between owners and their dogs, referring to 1999 research showing that women with long hair gave higher ratings of attractiveness, friendliness, loyalty and intelligence to dogs with floppy, rather than pricked ears.
Just as there are many different kinds of people, there are scores of breeds of dogs to choose from. The breed you select to own is often an outward representation of your personality. Dogs are companions, and people tend to select their pet dogs with similar personality traits as their own. Oftentimes dogs are considered a member of the family and owners and dogs spend a lot of time together. So why wouldn’t someone want their best companion to be like themselves?
You might note as others have that:
Highly strung people sometimes choose miniature breeds with the same personality.
Those with large families usually have larger dogs that can take playful children.
Many owners who wear a lot of jewelry have dogs that wear jewel encrusted collars, claw polish, and even doggie clothing and accessories.
Active people usually select active sporty dogs.
Many sophisticated people seem to select well mannered dogs that are sleek and fashionable.
Petite people oftentimes have small dogs or miniature versions of larger breeds.
Sometimes people with poofy hairstyles select fluffy-haired dogs.
Busy people frequently choose low maintenance dogs.
Country dwellers usually own mixed breed dogs.
Rough macho types usually have aggressive dogs, occasionally adorning them with spiked collars and heavy chains.
Attack dogs are typically owned by aggressive people.
Many less active and depressed people tend to select dogs with droopy ears and long faces that like to curl up on the couch for hours on end.
One owner might think they look like their dog because they love it so much, while another might deny that they look like their dog, just as married couples deny that they grow to look like each other, or because they don’t want to feel they look like a dog. Either way, the owner isn’t likely the most objective judge.
Each of us likes to believe we’re different, that we’re an individual, and that we’re unique. Then again, how do you think the dogs feel?
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译文:
和主人长的超级像的狗狗们
这次的话题是个永远猜不透的迷——狗长的像主人吗？如果这是真的，那是狗自己模仿主人的？还是主人选了条和自己长的像的狗？科学证实了一些我们知觉的猜测。根据美国的一项官方研究显示——狗确实长的像主人。
有些人相信纯种狗长得像主人，他们的观点是对的。但一说到杂种小狗和主人相匹，那就是狗在模仿主人了。
当人们选择狗时，他们会在一定程度上选和自己有点相似的狗。当他们得到了纯种狗时，这正是他们想要的。但选择一条杂种狗就有点像在下赌注，因为你不知道它长大后会成什么样？
加利福尼亚大学的研究者，通过测试人们能否把狗和它主人的照片配对以来的方法，解开了谜底，他认为是主人长得像他们的狗。心理学家麦克尔雷和尼古拉丝克莉斯丁菲尔德教授也在美国心理学社的一本杂志：《心理学》上，公布了他们的研究结果。
随机选择的45条狗和它们主人被分开在圣地牙哥的三个溜狗公园拍摄，在不同的地方拍摄是为了让主人和狗的照片的背景不同。28位圣地牙哥大学心理学的大学生拍摄了这些照片。人们看了主人和狗的照片后，需要作出判断，把主人和狗正确地配对起来。
超过一半配对正确的人认为是狗在模仿主人。人们每三次中就有两次成功配对了25
条纯种狗。
在25条纯种狗中，16条配对正确，9条错误。在20条杂种狗中，7条配对正确，4条不分胜负，9条错误。
“当你选择一条纯种狗时，你主要是因为它长大后的模样而选它的。”圣地牙哥大学的心理学教授，这次研究的合作者，尼古拉丝克莉斯丁菲尔德这样说到。他还补充道，选择杂种狗的人是由于在待领场的一时冲动，他们并不知道狗长大后是什么样。
一位康乃狄格的养叭喇狗的法国人特瑞丝说到“每种血统的人也有固定的模样。”
那么什么样的人会喜欢大眼睛，尖耳朵，狮子鼻的法国叭喇狗呢？说：“事实上，它们很温顺很漂亮。”但对阿富汗猎狗，人们的说法完全不同，她说：“它们很调皮，你可以在一哩之外就看到它们。”
我们并不清楚阿富汗猎狗和法国叭喇狗怎么会和它们的主人长得很想，因为研究发现人们并没有用特殊的方法来配对。只要主人和狗一分开，他们在大小，外貌，友好程度，精力方面都没有显著的联系。
“人们倾向于喜欢那些能反应自身外貌和气质的狗。”美国养狗俱乐部的发言人盖尔米勒说到。米勒拥有几条长着胡须的牧羊犬，她把她的“胡须先生们”形容成优雅，活泼：“我真的很喜欢它们，它们很外向，很有趣，很有活力。”
但是这项研究并不能明确指出他们长得如此相似的原因。克莉斯丁菲尔德告诉《新科学家》说：“我们并不知道这是身体上的相似，还是风格上的相似。有人认为是由许多不同的因素结合起来的。”
但有几对比其他的更加明显。“这个人傻笑着，有一头茂密的头发。这条金色拾猎犬也傻笑着，有同样的头发。每个人都说这两个是一对。”
研究者们还在探寻，在人们拥有一条狗之后，他们会不会越长越像呢。相似的是，在1987年，一篇关于夫妻越长越像的文章曾风靡一时。
他们否定了时间长短决定相似程度的说法。因为他们发现，相似程度与狗和主人在一起的时间没有任何联系。
研究者们说，人们很可能花很长时间挑选一条纯种狗，这样他们就能得到更多他们想要的。如果主人是基于它的毛发，大小，特点，可爱，友好，活力等因素而选择狗的，那么这一说法更本无法成立。
作者写道：“人们并不是只用简单的方法来配对，比如毛发多的人配毛发多的狗，体型大的人配大狗。人们还用到一些其它微小的特征。”
克莉斯丁菲尔德解释说：“当他们生活在一起，并不是主人长得越来越像他的狗。而是，人们喜欢选择那些和自己长的像的狗。”
研究者还在进一步研究，有些特征，比如毛发，大小，是不是造成相似的主要因素。克莉斯丁菲尔德说，对人们来说配对他们唯一有用的特征就是看上去的友好程度。
英国养狗俱乐部的发言人撒拉华德说，有很多主人长得像狗的经典例子，比如一条大狗的主人通常个子也很高大。
她告诉《新科学家》：“如果是条阿富汗猎犬，通常在它周围的会使些很优雅的人。”
克莉斯丁菲尔德还未发现到底是什么在主人和他们的狗之间产生回音。可能是身体外观和性格特征上的相似性所致。这样的组合通常并不是基于特别明显的特征。但研究者们注意到：“就像在选择配偶那样，人们也更喜欢选和自己相像的宠物。”
澳大利亚的心理学家博士伊莱奥诺拉，她在墨尔本的莫那什大学研究人类与动物的相互关系。根据她的说法，人们对纯种狗的偏见可能使研究结果出现偏差。她说：“人们预先想好了不同品种狗的性格。”
研究者们发现，充满乐观生活态度的人倾向于选择外表友善的狗。
美国对说，其它研究发现了主人和狗之间的另一个联系。根据1999年的研究显示，长发的女士更重视狗的外貌，友好，忠诚，智慧。比起那些会竖起耳朵的狗，她们更喜欢松软可爱的狗。
就像有许多不同的人一样，有几十种不同品种的狗供我们选择。你选择的品种通常是你的性格的外在表现。狗使人类的伴侣，人们通常会选择和自己性格相似的狗。有时被看作是家庭的一员，主人和狗相处的时间很长。所以人们怎么会不希望他们最好的伴侣和自己相似呢？
你可能和其他人有同样的发现：
神经质的人通常选择小型的狗，他们有同样的性格。
那些大家庭通常选择较大的狗，用来取代顽皮的孩子。
喜欢戴金银珠宝的人，他们的狗也会戴这镶有珠宝的狗圈，爪子擦的岑亮，甚至还会传狗狗衣服和狗狗饰品。
活跃的人通常选择活泼的运动性的狗。
许多老于世故的人喜欢选择健壮漂亮，又经过良好训练的狗。
小资产阶级通常喜欢小狗，或者是大狗的幼年时期。
有着娘娘腔发型的人通常选择毛发蓬松的狗。
忙碌的人通常选择不用经常打理的狗。
住在乡村的人通常选择杂种的狗。
强悍的人通常喜欢凶猛的狗，偶尔会用有钉子的狗圈和沉重的狗链来装饰它们。
咄咄逼人的人特别喜欢有攻击性的狗。
许多不活泼又有点压抑的人通常选择耷拉着耳朵，长脸的狗。它们能够蜷缩在沙发上几个小时，一动不动。
有些主人可能会认为他们长得像他们的狗是因为他们太爱那些狗了，但有些人否认自己长得像他们的狗。就像夫妻否认他们长得越来越像一样。或许是因为他们并不想让人家觉得自己长得像狗。不管怎么样，主人并不是最客观的评判者。
每个人都喜欢相信我们是不同的，我们是个体，我们独一无二的。那么，你认为那些狗很怎么想呢？