Pet humanization has been going on for quite a few years now. According to Pet Industry Trends, more than 50% of "pet parents" bring their pooches and kitties wherever they go. They also spent over $60 million in pet costumes in 2012. Most of these parents also invest on high-quality food and proper vet care. They celebrate their birthdays, shower them gifts, and provide them with beds, among others.
This rising trend also leaves a very interesting question: do human mothers bond with their pets the same way they do with their human children? Based on a recent study, the answer is yes.
A group of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital developed a study that proves mothers exhibit the same "maternal instincts" they have with their children to their pets.
The study included around 14 mothers whose children's ages ranged from 2 to 10 years old. They also owned a dog for over 2 years. The researchers then showed the participants a series of images including those of their pets and their children.
Using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning machine, they discovered that the same region of the brain that is responsible for visual recognition, emotion, and social interaction was activated every time they saw photos of their children and pets. In the same manner, the area became less active when parents were shown pictures not of their children or their pet.
The study doesn't mean, however, that mothers love their pets more than their own children. In fact, the area for bond formation tends to be more prominent when these mothers saw images of their children only. Meanwhile, the section of the brain called fusiform gyrus, which helps in recognizing faces, became active each time they saw the image of their dog.
Moreover, they admitted that this is just a small study that warrants a bigger one to understand the neurological responses of mothers better. They also hope to conduct a similar experiment but this time among non-mothers.
