Perceived Aggressive Tendencies of, and Functional Attitudes Towards, Selected Breeds of Dogs

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the current state of perceptions towards select breeds of dogs with a focus on perceived aggressiveness. While some studies investigating breed perceptions of aggressiveness have presented dogs in various poses, possibly adding to unintentional perception bias towards aggressiveness, this study showed standardized representations of 27 dog breeds. A hierarchical cluster analysis of data collected from a large sample suggests two distinct categories of dogs that were perceived as either higher or lower in aggressiveness. Additionally, this study asked participants about their intended behavior toward those breeds, thus providing data on people’s functional attitudes towards breeds perceived as more or less aggressive. The data show that people are less willing to interact with those breeds of dogs that are perceived to be higher in aggressiveness and intend to engage in more favorable interactions towards those breeds perceived as less aggressive.