When dog owners experience a long period of stress, they are not alone in feeling the pressure. Their dogs feel it, too.
當狗主人在經歷一段長期的精神壓力時,並不是只有他們自己在承受壓力,他們的狗也感同身受。
That information comes from a new study published Thursday in Scientific Reports.
這一信息來自周四發表在《科學報告》上的一份新研究。
Swedish scientists centered the research on 58 people who own border collies or Shetland sheepdogs. Both are traditionally herding dogs.
瑞典科學家對58名擁有博德牧羊犬或喜樂蒂牧羊犬的人進行了集中研究。兩種犬類都是傳統的牧羊犬。
The scientists examined hair from the dog owners and their dogs. They looked at the levels of a hormone called cortisol.
科學家對狗主人和狗的毛髮進行了檢測。他們觀察了一種名為「皮質醇」的激素的濃度。
This chemical is released into the bloodstream during stressful experiences. Pieces of hair can take in this chemical.
這種化學物質在精神壓力時期會被釋放到血液中,能夠被毛髮吸收。release into/in 釋放到
Depression, extreme physical exercise and unemployment are just a few examples of stress causers that can affect the amount of cortisol released in humans,said Lina Roth of Sweden's Linkoping University.
抑鬱,極限體育運動以及失業只是引起壓力的幾種誘因,它們能影響人體皮質醇釋放的含量, 瑞典林雪平大學的莉娜・羅斯(Lina Roth)說道。
Roth and her team found that cortisol levels in the hair of dog owners closely matched levels found in their dogs.
羅斯和她的團隊發現,狗主人毛髮的皮質醇濃度與狗的皮質醇濃度非常接近。
The researchers say this suggests their stress levels were in sync -- or connected.
研究人員表示,這表明他們的壓力水平是同步的,或者說相互關聯的。
Roth believes that the owners are influencing the dogs instead of dogs influencing their human owners.
羅斯認為,這是主人在影響狗,而不是狗影響主人。
That is because there are human personality traits that also appear to affect dogs' cortisol levels.
這是因為人類的性格特徵似乎也會影響狗的皮質醇水平。
But, why is it that people influence their dogs and not the other way around?
但是,為什麼是主人影響狗,而不是反過來呢?
It could be, Roth said in an email, because people are "a more central part of the dog's life, whereas we humans also have other social networks."
羅斯在一封電子郵件中解釋稱,原因可能在於人「是狗的生活中更重要的一部分,而我們人類還有其他的社交網絡。」