Gail F Melson
Biographic Data
| ID | 103151 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Gail F Melson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Gail F |
| FAMILY NAME | Melson |
| SIGNATURE | MELSON G F |
| AFFILIATIONS | Purdue University West Lafayette |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 119 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1977 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Children's Ideas about the Moral Standing and Social Welfare of Non-human Species
Moral and social welfare issues related to humane treatment of animals confront children and continue to be important societal issues through adulthood. Despite this, children's moral reasoning about animals has been largely ignored. This paper addresses six questions concerning how children reason morally about non-human animals: (1) How do children think about the moral claims of animals? Is there a developmental progression in such reasoning? …
Mothers' and Their Adult Daughters' Perceptions of Their Relationship
This qualitative study explores mother-adult daughter relationships through in-depth, individual interviews with 24 adult daughters and their mothers ( N = 48). Using a life-course perspective, the authors examined the kinds of themes that emerged in each woman's narrative and within each mother- daughter pair. Given the periods of adulthood under study, the authors expected and found themes reflecting complexity and ambivalence within the relati…
Robotic Pets in Human Lives
Robotic “pets” are being marketed as social companions and are used in the emerging field of robot‐assisted activities, including robot‐assisted therapy (RAA). However, the limits to and potential of robotic analogues of living animals as social and therapeutic partners remain unclear. Do children and adults view robotic pets as “animal‐like,”“machine‐like,” or some combination of both? How do social behaviors differ toward a robotic versus livin…
Why the Wild Things Are
Child Development and the Human-Companion Animal Bond
Companion animals are more common in households with minor children than in any other household type. More than 70% of U.S. households with children also have pets, with most parents reporting acquisition of an animal "for the children." Yet, studies of children's development largely have been limited to children's relationships with other humans. This article argues for a biocentric approach to development, in which children's contacts with the …
Psychology and the Study of Human-Animal Relationships
The breadth and diversity of psychology as a discipline resists easy generalization. Sub- elds—psychoanalysis, experimental psychology, environmental psychology, the psychology of religion, and the psychology of women—all crowd under the umbrella of the American Psychological Association. No unifying theory unites these disparate branches of the psychology “tree.” Indeed, guiding assumptions, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies are not only…
The Educational Benefits of a Ten-Week Home-Based Wild Bird Feeding Program for Children
This study evaluated a ten-week educational home-based program for feeding wild birds, intended to increase elementary school age children's knowledge about birds, especially those wild birds commonly encountered at outdoor home feeders. We measured changes from pre- to post-program in 65 seven- to 12-year old children's knowledge about wild birds, as well as in environmental attitudes. The goal was not only to increase bird knowledge in the targ…
Book/Video Reviews
Parental Perceptions of their Children's Involvement with Household Pets
To test hypotheses derived from a specificity model of the development of children's nurturance, parents of preschool, second-grade and fifth-grade children (n=707) reported the frequency of their children's play with and care of pets as well as play and care directed to younger siblings, non-family babies, and elderly persons. Parents also reported on their children's frequency of expressed interest in animals, babies, and nurture in general. As…
Studying Children's Attachment to their Pets
Four dimensions of attachment are distinguished, based on the psychological literature on children's attachments to others: (1) time with and activities directed toward the attachment object; (2) interest in and affect expressed toward the attachment object; (3) knowledge about the attachment object; and (4) behavioral responsiveness to the attachment object. Considering pets as attachment objects, research bearing on each of these dimensions is …
Separations and reunions of preschoolers and their parents at nursery school
Children's Ideas about Animal Young and Their Care
This study examines the effects of gender in conjunction with age, pet ownership, and sibling status on children's ideas about domestic animal young (puppies and kittens) and how they are nurtured. A theoretical model accounting for gender differences in the development of nurturance in children is presented. The model argues that children may develop knowledge about nurture from many sources, including animals, and that gender differences are mo…
Availability of and Involvement with Pets by Children
Determinants of pet ownership and involvement with pets by children from preschool age to preadolescence were assessed from reports of 707 parents. The relationship between pet ownership and involvement with pets and involvement in leisure and work activities by children was also examined. Child age and maternal employment were the most important predictors of both pet ownership and involvement with pets. As predicted, the availability of a pet w…
Sex differences in proxemic behavior and personal space schemata in young children
Child Development and the Human-Companion Animal Bond
Companion animals are more common in households with minor children than in any other household type. More than 70% of U.S. households with children also have pets, with most parents reporting acquisition of an animal "for the children." Yet, studies of children's development largely have been limited to children's relationships with other humans. This article argues for a biocentric approach to development, in which children's contacts with the …
Availability of and Involvement with Pets by Children
Determinants of pet ownership and involvement with pets by children from preschool age to preadolescence were assessed from reports of 707 parents. The relationship between pet ownership and involvement with pets and involvement in leisure and work activities by children was also examined. Child age and maternal employment were the most important predictors of both pet ownership and involvement with pets. As predicted, the availability of a pet w…
Studying Children's Attachment to their Pets
Four dimensions of attachment are distinguished, based on the psychological literature on children's attachments to others: (1) time with and activities directed toward the attachment object; (2) interest in and affect expressed toward the attachment object; (3) knowledge about the attachment object; and (4) behavioral responsiveness to the attachment object. Considering pets as attachment objects, research bearing on each of these dimensions is …
Children's Ideas about Animal Young and Their Care
This study examines the effects of gender in conjunction with age, pet ownership, and sibling status on children's ideas about domestic animal young (puppies and kittens) and how they are nurtured. A theoretical model accounting for gender differences in the development of nurturance in children is presented. The model argues that children may develop knowledge about nurture from many sources, including animals, and that gender differences are mo…
Mothers' and Their Adult Daughters' Perceptions of Their Relationship
This qualitative study explores mother-adult daughter relationships through in-depth, individual interviews with 24 adult daughters and their mothers ( N = 48). Using a life-course perspective, the authors examined the kinds of themes that emerged in each woman's narrative and within each mother- daughter pair. Given the periods of adulthood under study, the authors expected and found themes reflecting complexity and ambivalence within the relati…
Parental Perceptions of their Children's Involvement with Household Pets
To test hypotheses derived from a specificity model of the development of children's nurturance, parents of preschool, second-grade and fifth-grade children (n=707) reported the frequency of their children's play with and care of pets as well as play and care directed to younger siblings, non-family babies, and elderly persons. Parents also reported on their children's frequency of expressed interest in animals, babies, and nurture in general. As…
Robotic Pets in Human Lives
Robotic “pets” are being marketed as social companions and are used in the emerging field of robot‐assisted activities, including robot‐assisted therapy (RAA). However, the limits to and potential of robotic analogues of living animals as social and therapeutic partners remain unclear. Do children and adults view robotic pets as “animal‐like,”“machine‐like,” or some combination of both? How do social behaviors differ toward a robotic versus livin…
The Educational Benefits of a Ten-Week Home-Based Wild Bird Feeding Program for Children
This study evaluated a ten-week educational home-based program for feeding wild birds, intended to increase elementary school age children's knowledge about birds, especially those wild birds commonly encountered at outdoor home feeders. We measured changes from pre- to post-program in 65 seven- to 12-year old children's knowledge about wild birds, as well as in environmental attitudes. The goal was not only to increase bird knowledge in the targ…
Children's Ideas about the Moral Standing and Social Welfare of Non-human Species
Moral and social welfare issues related to humane treatment of animals confront children and continue to be important societal issues through adulthood. Despite this, children's moral reasoning about animals has been largely ignored. This paper addresses six questions concerning how children reason morally about non-human animals: (1) How do children think about the moral claims of animals? Is there a developmental progression in such reasoning? …
Psychology and the Study of Human-Animal Relationships
The breadth and diversity of psychology as a discipline resists easy generalization. Sub- elds—psychoanalysis, experimental psychology, environmental psychology, the psychology of religion, and the psychology of women—all crowd under the umbrella of the American Psychological Association. No unifying theory unites these disparate branches of the psychology “tree.” Indeed, guiding assumptions, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies are not only…
Sex differences in proxemic behavior and personal space schemata in young children
Availability of and Involvement with Pets by Children
Determinants of pet ownership and involvement with pets by children from preschool age to preadolescence were assessed from reports of 707 parents. The relationship between pet ownership and involvement with pets and involvement in leisure and work activities by children was also examined. Child age and maternal employment were the most important predictors of both pet ownership and involvement with pets. As predicted, the availability of a pet w…
Children's Ideas about Animal Young and Their Care
This study examines the effects of gender in conjunction with age, pet ownership, and sibling status on children's ideas about domestic animal young (puppies and kittens) and how they are nurtured. A theoretical model accounting for gender differences in the development of nurturance in children is presented. The model argues that children may develop knowledge about nurture from many sources, including animals, and that gender differences are mo…
Studying Children's Attachment to their Pets
Four dimensions of attachment are distinguished, based on the psychological literature on children's attachments to others: (1) time with and activities directed toward the attachment object; (2) interest in and affect expressed toward the attachment object; (3) knowledge about the attachment object; and (4) behavioral responsiveness to the attachment object. Considering pets as attachment objects, research bearing on each of these dimensions is …
Separations and reunions of preschoolers and their parents at nursery school
Parental Perceptions of their Children's Involvement with Household Pets
To test hypotheses derived from a specificity model of the development of children's nurturance, parents of preschool, second-grade and fifth-grade children (n=707) reported the frequency of their children's play with and care of pets as well as play and care directed to younger siblings, non-family babies, and elderly persons. Parents also reported on their children's frequency of expressed interest in animals, babies, and nurture in general. As…
Book/Video Reviews
The Educational Benefits of a Ten-Week Home-Based Wild Bird Feeding Program for Children
This study evaluated a ten-week educational home-based program for feeding wild birds, intended to increase elementary school age children's knowledge about birds, especially those wild birds commonly encountered at outdoor home feeders. We measured changes from pre- to post-program in 65 seven- to 12-year old children's knowledge about wild birds, as well as in environmental attitudes. The goal was not only to increase bird knowledge in the targ…
Psychology and the Study of Human-Animal Relationships
The breadth and diversity of psychology as a discipline resists easy generalization. Sub- elds—psychoanalysis, experimental psychology, environmental psychology, the psychology of religion, and the psychology of women—all crowd under the umbrella of the American Psychological Association. No unifying theory unites these disparate branches of the psychology “tree.” Indeed, guiding assumptions, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies are not only…
Child Development and the Human-Companion Animal Bond
Companion animals are more common in households with minor children than in any other household type. More than 70% of U.S. households with children also have pets, with most parents reporting acquisition of an animal "for the children." Yet, studies of children's development largely have been limited to children's relationships with other humans. This article argues for a biocentric approach to development, in which children's contacts with the …
Why the Wild Things Are
Robotic Pets in Human Lives
Robotic “pets” are being marketed as social companions and are used in the emerging field of robot‐assisted activities, including robot‐assisted therapy (RAA). However, the limits to and potential of robotic analogues of living animals as social and therapeutic partners remain unclear. Do children and adults view robotic pets as “animal‐like,”“machine‐like,” or some combination of both? How do social behaviors differ toward a robotic versus livin…
Mothers' and Their Adult Daughters' Perceptions of Their Relationship
This qualitative study explores mother-adult daughter relationships through in-depth, individual interviews with 24 adult daughters and their mothers ( N = 48). Using a life-course perspective, the authors examined the kinds of themes that emerged in each woman's narrative and within each mother- daughter pair. Given the periods of adulthood under study, the authors expected and found themes reflecting complexity and ambivalence within the relati…
Children's Ideas about the Moral Standing and Social Welfare of Non-human Species
Moral and social welfare issues related to humane treatment of animals confront children and continue to be important societal issues through adulthood. Despite this, children's moral reasoning about animals has been largely ignored. This paper addresses six questions concerning how children reason morally about non-human animals: (1) How do children think about the moral claims of animals? Is there a developmental progression in such reasoning? …
Psychology (13 works) · Developmental psychology (10 works) · Animal welfare (7 works) · Pet therapy (7 works) · Animal-assisted therapy (6 works) · Human-Animal Interaction Studies (6 works) · Social Psychology (5 works) · Animal and Plant Science Education (4 works) · Biology (4 works) · Ecology (4 works)