The self - 7.2 Studies: 7.2.2 Van Houtte and Jarvis (1995) The Role of…

The idea

Van Houtte and Jarvis (1995) explored the role of pet ownership in the psychosocial development of preadolescents. They studied 130 third- to sixth-grade students, comparing pet owners with non-owners. Participants completed questionnaires measuring autonomy, self-concept, self-esteem, and attachment to animals. The findings revealed that pet-owning preadolescents, particularly those in the higher grades (fifth and sixth), reported higher autonomy and self-esteem than non-owners. However, this difference was not significant for younger children (third and fourth grades). The study concludes that pets can serve as a source of support and contribute positively to the psychosocial development and self-concept of older preadolescents.

What earns the marks

• Identify the aim: to investigate whether pet ownership affects psychosocial development in preadolescent children.
• Describe the sample: 130 children from third to sixth grade, divided into groups of pet owners and non-owners.
• Outline the procedure: participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring self-esteem, autonomy, and self-concept.
• State the findings: older preadolescent pet owners (fifth and sixth grade) showed higher autonomy and self-esteem than non-owners, but this effect was not found in younger children.
• Evaluate the study: note that it relies on self-report questionnaires which can be subject to social desirability bias, and that the correlational design cannot establish cause and effect.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Assuming pet ownership improved self-esteem for all ages in the study.

  Put it right: The positive effects on autonomy and self-esteem were only significant for the older preadolescents (fifth and sixth graders).

• Stating that the study proves pets cause higher self-esteem.

  Put it right: The study is correlational; it shows a relationship but cannot prove that owning a pet directly causes higher self-esteem.

• Confusing the variables measured.

  Put it right: Ensure you mention autonomy, self-concept, and self-esteem as the specific psychosocial factors measured by the questionnaires.

Exam tips

• When describing the results, always distinguish between the younger (third and fourth grade) and older (fifth and sixth grade) participants.
• Use this study to illustrate how external factors, such as relationships with pets, can influence the development of the self.
• Be ready to evaluate the use of questionnaires in this study, mentioning both the ease of data collection and the risk of biased responses.