Blends of child and best friend, with power imbalance: How dogs fit into our social networks

Many people view their dog as a family member, friend, or kid, but does the relationship with them really resemble these human relationships?

Eötvös Loránd University

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Blends of child and best friend, with power imbalance: how dogs fit into our social networks

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Credit: Photo: Eniko Kubinyi

Many people view their dog as a family member, friend, or kid, but does the relationship with them really resemble these human relationships? Researchers from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University now set out to explore the precise role dogs play in human social networks by comparing human-dog relationships with human-human relationships using 13 relationship scales.

Their study revealed that the owner-dog relationship can be interpreted as a mix of child and best friend relationships, combining positive aspects of the child relationship with the lack of negative aspects of friendship, blended with a high level of control over the dog.  Interestingly, while owners often rate their relationship with their dog as superior to any human bond, the study also found that more support in human relationships correlates with more support in dog-owner bonds, suggesting that dogs complement human relationships rather than compensate for their deficiencies.

Our relationship with dogs has evolved dramatically since domestication. Once primarily working animals, dogs have become cherished companions, often considered ‘substitute children’ in many Western societies. Despite this shift, little is known about the specific social roles dogs fulfill in our network of relationships.

Human social networks consist of different partners who offer varying forms of support. For example, romantic partners provide intimacy and aid, children offer opportunities for nurturing and relationship security, while best friends are sources of low-conflict companionship. The study, recently published in Scientific Reports, examined how dogs compare to these human relationships.

Over 700 dog owners rated 13 relationship characteristics regarding their dogs and four human partners: their child, romantic partner, closest relative, and best friend.

Results showed that owners rated their bond with their dog as the most satisfying and their dog as their best source of companionship. Owners also felt that their dog loved them the most among all partners. Moreover, similar to children, dogs scored high in nurturing and relationship security and, like best friends, had low levels of antagonism and conflict with their owners. However, there is also a greater power imbalance toward the owner in the relationship with dogs than with any human partner.

“Unlike in human relationships, dog owners maintain full control over their dogs as they make most of the decisions, contributing to the high satisfaction owners report. Compared to humans, the relationship with dogs involves few conflicts and minimal negative interactions” The power asymmetry, having control over a living being, is a fundamental aspect of dog ownership for many” - explains senior author Enikő Kubinyi, Head of the Dept. of Ethology at the ELTE and head of MTA-ELTE “Momentum” Companion Animal Research Group. “The results highlight that dogs occupy a unique place in our social world—offering the emotional closeness of a child, the ease of a best friend, and the predictability of a relationship shaped by human control—revealing why our bonds with them are often so deeply fulfilling.”

The study also examined how dog and human relationship ratings relate to one another and found that strong human relationships correlated with stronger bonds with dogs.

“We expected that people with weak human relationships would rely more on their dogs for support, but our results contradict this,” says co-author Dorottya Ujfalussy. “In our sample, people did not seem to use dogs to compensate for the insufficient support in their human relationships.” 

However, the researchers note that their sample consisted of volunteers who were likely more satisfied with their relationships than the average dog owner. The study may therefore not fully capture the experiences of vulnerable individuals who rely more heavily on their dogs for emotional support. 

“Dogs offer different kinds of emotional and social support depending on the needs of their owners,” - explains Borbála Turcsán, first author of the study. “Some people seek companionship and fun, others need trust and stability, and some simply enjoy having someone to care for.”

Instead of placing the dog-owner relationship into the predefined categories traditionally used in such studies—like ‘family member’ or ‘pet’—the researchers introduced a new, multidimensional approach that better captures its complexity. This framework not only helps us understand how dogs fit into our social lives, but may also reveal where people turn to dogs to fill emotional gaps, and why, for many, the bond runs so deep.

Blends of child and best friend, with power imbalance: how dogs fit into our social networks

Credit  Photo: Eniko Kubinyi

Journal

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-025-95515-8 

Article Title

Similarities and differences between dog-human and human-human relationships

Article Publication Date

22-Apr-2025

 

How a potential HIV cure may affect HIV transmission

A mathematical modeling study coordinated by UMC Utrecht has shown that sustained HIV remission (without rebound) or HIV eradication cure scenarios could consistently reduce new HIV infections among men who have sex with men

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University Medical Center Utrecht

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Ganna Rozhnova, PhD

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Credit: University Medical Center Utrecht

A mathematical modeling study coordinated by UMC Utrecht has shown that sustained HIV remission (without rebound) or HIV eradication cure scenarios could consistently reduce new HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Netherlands as compared to a scenario without a cure. The investigators anticipate that introduction of either of these cure scenarios could contribute to ending the HIV epidemic among MSM in the Netherlands. In contrast, transient HIV remission with a risk of rebound could increase new infections if rebounds are not closely monitored, and could potentially undermine HIV control efforts.

Over the past decades, significant progress has been made toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030. Successes in reducing HIV transmission are particularly notable among men who have sex with men in several Western European countries, including the Netherlands. Since 2008, annual number of HIV diagnoses and HIV incidence among MSM in the Netherlands have declined by approximately 70 percent, largely due to public health interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and the use of antiretroviral treatment (ART) to prevent sexual transmission of HIV. Despite these advances, development of an HIV cure remains a global health priority, as millions of people worldwide depend on lifelong ART for viral suppression and a preventive vaccine is not yet available. People living with HIV, including those in key populations such as MSM, may experience impaired health-related quality of life despite — or in some cases due to — ART. Compared to individuals without HIV, people with HIV are more likely to be dealing with physical and mental health issues due to chronic comorbidities and stigma.

Acceptable and scalable HIV cure

Biomedical research and human clinical trials for curative HIV interventions are advancing rapidly. To date, several patients have been cured of HIV through HIV-resistant stem cell transplants, but a scalable cure has yet to be developed and may take considerable time to become widely available. The consensus is that an acceptable and scalable cure for HIV will most likely require a combination of strategies targeting different aspects of HIV infection. HIV eradication — defined as the complete removal of HIV from the body — represents the ultimate goal for people with HIV. However, HIV remission — where the virus remains suppressed below transmissible levels without ongoing ART — could be a more attainable target for researchers. Strategies that are currently being developed may contribute to both HIV remission and HIV eradication.

Mathematical modelling

An interdisciplinary research group led by infectious disease modeler Ganna Rozhnova, PhD (Research Program Infectious Diseases, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, UMC Utrecht) assessed whether an effective cure could help end the HIV epidemic. Two cure scenarios were investigated: (1) HIV remission, where the virus is suppressed in an individual without ongoing ART but may rebound, and (2) HIV eradication, which aims to completely remove the virus from the individual. For this study, they developed a mathematical transmission model, calibrated to data from MSM in the Netherlands. The results of this study were published this week in Nature Communications.

Maximizing cure benefits

The results showed that sustained HIV remission (without rebound) or HIV eradication could consistently reduce new HIV infections compared to a scenario without a cure. In contrast, transient HIV remission with a risk of rebound within a few years could increase new infections if rebounds are not closely monitored, potentially undermining HIV control efforts. Specifically, if the mean time to rebound in individuals who achieve HIV remission is two years, even monitoring as frequently as every two weeks would be insufficient to mitigate the increase in new infections. If the mean time to rebound is six years, new HIV infections would decrease but frequent rebound episodes would require ongoing efforts for rapid viral load monitoring and timely diagnosis of rebounds to maximize the public health benefits of any HIV remission strategy. These findings emphasize the critical role of cure characteristics in maximizing cure benefits for public health and highlight the need to align HIV cure research with public health objectives to end the HIV epidemic.

Further research needed

Principal investigator Ganna Rozhnova concluded: “Our study – the first one to assess the potential impact of an HIV cure on the epidemic among MSM in a Western European country with a low HIV incidence and high ART coverage – suggests that both HIV eradication and sustained HIV remission have the potential to reduce new HIV infections in the Netherlands, contributing to the goal of ending the HIV epidemic. However, transient HIV remission could increase infections if rebounds are not promptly monitored.”

This research is part of the modeling working group, co-led by Ganna Rozhnova, PhD in the SPIRAL consortium (coordinated by virologist Monique Nijhuis, PhD from UMC Utrecht and funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and Aidsfonds). The researchers are further adapting the model to explore how different cure characteristics will affect HIV transmission in other settings, including Africa.

Publication

De Bellis A, Willemsen MS, Guzzetta G, van Sighem A, Romijnders KAGJ, Reiss P, Schim van der Loeff MF, van de Wijgert JHHM, Nijhuis M, Kretzschmar MEE, Rozhnova G. Model-based evaluation of the impact of a potential HIV cure on HIV transmission dynamics. Nature Communications, 2025;16:3527.

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-58657-x 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Model-based evaluation of the impact of a potential HIV cure on HIV transmission dynamics

Article Publication Date

22-Apr-2025

COI Statement

A. van Sighem reports grants, paid to his institution, from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport through the Centre for Infectious Disease Control of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, and from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). All other authors declare no competing interests.

 

Carnegie Mellon researchers create transformable flat-to-shape objects using sewing technology

Carnegie Mellon University

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The flat-to-shape chair in action.

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Credit: Carnegie Mellon University

Researchers from the Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) and Robotics Institute (RI) at Carnegie Mellon University introduced a novel method for fabricating functional flat-to-shape objects using a computer-controlled sewing machine. 

The team includes Sapna Tayal, undergraduate student in the School of Design; Lea Albaugh, Mark Stehlik postdoctoral teaching fellow at HCII; James McCann, associate professor in RI; and Scott E. Hudson, professor and associate department head for education in HCII. 

“Flat-to-shape” refers to objects that can be transformed from a flat sheet into a three-dimensional form through methods like bending, folding, or assembling connected parts. Previous methods have deployed flat-to-shape techniques on a small scale to reduce construction time on 3D printers and laser cutters, but these methods often required time-consuming manual assembly and can be difficult to scale up. The CMU team saw an opportunity to build on these techniques and create a method to make furniture-sized functional and quick-to-deploy objects.

“Sewing machines are an accessible fabrication technology. Some of these machines have computational control which unlocks a lot of fabrication possibilities and this one allows us to sew at a larger scale, and are typically used to make quilted blankets,” said Albaugh. “In our project, we focused on using the CNC sewing machine in a new way.” 

The team’s method uses the sewing machine to stitch pockets between layers of fabric, and stiff panels are inserted into the pockets. Multiple fabrics types can be used, ranging from muslin for heavy-duty applications to more delicate fabrics for decorative purposes. The materials can also be customized on a panel-by-panel basis to adapt to each object’s needs. 

The researchers demonstrated how the materials can be chosen to support a variety of functional goals, such as using thicker plywood for a human-weight supporting chair and custom LED panels with sheer fabric for a functional lamp. Additionally, The technique also allows for additional mechanisms such as cords, magnets, and hook-and-loop fasteners to direct and stabilize flat-to-shape transitions. 

“It was a fun experience to describe a new kind of fabrication space through material exploration and hands-on making,” said Tayal. “As a design student, I often make jigs to craft one-off objects but having the chance to refine and explain a process in a research context, especially on such an interesting machine, was really exciting.”

The novel method allowed the researchers to achieve their goal of creating items that are large enough for whole-body human interactions, such as sitting, wearing or carrying while still being portable and adaptable to multiple settings. In their paper, titled “Creating Furniture-Scale Deployable Objects with a Computer-Controlled Sewing Machine,” they describe a collection of functional flat-to-shape artifacts they created with their technique, including a side table, backpack, a chair and a lamp. Each object incorporated different variations of inserting rigid panels within sheets of flexible fabric. The paper was accepted to the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI). 

The project was part of Tayal’s winning Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Student Merit Award presentations for the district level round. Learn more about the flat-to-shape objects and find the full paper on her website.

Longarm Quilting Machine. Fabric is tensioned over the rollers.

Credit

Carnegie Mellon University

 

In US, saving money is top reason to embrace solar power

Study is first to gauge public perception of 2 residential solar options

Ohio State University

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Financial benefits, such as saving on utility payments and avoiding electricity rate hikes, are a key driver of U.S. adults’ willingness to consider installing rooftop solar panels or subscribing to community solar power, a new study suggests.

Researchers at The Ohio State University conducted a national survey to gauge consumer perceptions about adopting solar power. Though previous work has examined views about rooftop solar, this study is the first assessment of public opinion about accessing community solar energy for household use.

The findings led researchers to recommend that policymakers and industry leaders increase marketing campaign references to the practical reasons for embracing solar power – including saving money and improving property values without taking big risks – to encourage broader residential use.

“Emphasizing the practical benefits of adopting solar, whether it’s rooftop or community, might be the most effective avenue to achieve increased adoption in the real world,” said first author Naseem Dillman-Hasso, a doctoral candidate in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at Ohio State.

The study also revealed that most participants didn’t understand what community solar is and few had looked into it, suggesting more public awareness is needed to expand consumer access to this more equitably distributed renewable energy source, said senior author Nicole Sintov, associate professor of behavior, decision making and sustainability at Ohio State.

“Community solar is a great option for people who are unable to access rooftop solar,” she said. “We show that there are still some significant barriers to entry, and we’ve got to start with letting people know what it is.”

The research was published recently in the journal Energy Research & Social Science.

As of 2022, 8% of U.S homeowners had installed rooftop solar panels at an average cost of between $17,000 and $23,000 after applying a federal tax credit, according to the Pew Research Center. Under community solar programs, energy generated at an off-site solar array is supplied to multiple customers within a defined geographical area who receive credit on their electricity bills for energy produced by their share of the project.

With residential solar use still relatively low, Sintov and Dillman-Hasso sought to understand what could motivate households to consider solar as an energy option.

They based the study on a consumer behavior theory suggesting that three common factors, or attributes, contribute to adoption of sustainable innovations – practical purposes (instrumental attributes), conveying one’s social consciousness to others (symbolic) and protecting the planet (environmental).

A sample of 1,433 adults living in the United States was recruited for the online survey. Participants were asked about their willingness to adopt rooftop or community solar and whether they had taken action toward adoption, such as researching the options, talking with friends or family, or contacting an industry expert.

They also were asked to agree or disagree with a series of statements representing the instrumental, symbolic and environmental attributes related to adopting solar. For example, the statements said purchasing or leasing solar “means that I’m a good community member,” “would save me money” and “would be a good way to reduce my environmental impact.”

Statistical analysis showed that positive feelings about all three attributes increased the likelihood respondents would be willing to pursue rooftop or community solar as a household power source. But the factors linked to practical benefits (including finances) were “by far the strongest predictor above and beyond anything else,” Dillman-Hasso said.

The magnitude of the effect of practical factors was a surprise, but it wasn’t the only surprising finding in the study.

Participants were less willing to consider subscribing to community solar than to take on rooftop solar installation – even though rooftop solar generally isn’t available to people who don’t own their home or can’t afford the installation.

“You don’t want to adopt something that you don’t know about,” Dillman-Hasso said. “Given the realities of community solar having much lower barriers to adoption – you don’t need financing and you don’t have to physically put panels on your roof – it was interesting to see that the willingness to adopt community solar was lower than rooftop.

“That potentially points to a lack of knowledge or more apprehension around a newer distribution method of electricity.”

As a behavioral scientist, Sintov said she doesn’t typically issue a generic call for “raising awareness,” given humans’ complexity – but in the context of community solar, the phrase applies.

“In this case, lack of awareness is a barrier, and I think both policymakers and entities that are trying to sell community solar plans could be working toward raising awareness,” she said.

This study focused on willingness to adopt rather than actually installing panels or subscribing to community solar power. In separate projects, Sintov and Dillman-Hasso are studying different groups of solar power customers to look for factors that lead to signing up for and sticking with solar.

This work was supported by Interstate Gas Supply – Energy, an independent supplier of energy, including solar.

 

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Contacts:

Nicole Sintov, Sintov.2@osu.edu
Naseem Dillman-Hasso, Dillman-Hasso.1@osu.edu  

Written by Emily Caldwell, Caldwell.151@osu.edu; 614-292-8152

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Journal

Energy Research & Social Science

DOI

10.1016/j.erss.2025.104022 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Can we achieve equity in residential solar adoption? Public perceptions of rooftop and community solar in the United States

GLOBAL STUDY

Antibiotic pollution in rivers

PNAS Nexus

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Contaminant pathways of antibiotics in the global aquatic environment.

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Credit: Macedo et al.

Human consumption of antibiotics increased by 65% between 2000 and 2015. These drugs are not completely metabolized while passing through the body, nor completely destroyed or removed by most wastewater treatment facilities. Heloisa Ehalt Macedo and colleagues calculate that worldwide humans consume around 29,200 tonnes of the 40 most used antibiotics. After metabolism and wastewater treatment, an estimated 8,500 tonnes (29% of consumption) may reach the world’s river systems, and 3,300 tonnes (11%) may arrive at the world’s oceans or inland sinks (such as lakes or reservoirs). The authors calculate these figures using a model validated by data on measured concentrations of 21 antibiotics at 877 locations globally. While the total amounts of antibiotic residues translate into only very small concentrations in most rivers, which makes the drugs very difficult to detect, the chronic environmental exposure to these substances can still pose a risk. Antibiotics in rivers and lakes can reduce microbial diversity, increase the presence of antibiotic-resistant genes, and possibly impact the health of fish and algae. The authors calculate that levels of antibiotics are high enough to create a potential risk for aquatic ecosystems and antibiotic resistance during low-flow conditions (i.e., at times of less dilution) on 6 million kilometers of rivers. Waterways with high concentrations are found across all continents, with the most impacted regions located in Southeast Asia. Amoxicillin is the antibiotic most often predicted to be found at high-risk concentrations and is the most-consumed antibiotic around the world. The authors note that this version of their model does not include antibiotics given to livestock, which include many of the same drugs, or pharmaceutical manufacturing waste. However, the results show that antibiotic pollution in rivers arising from human consumption alone is a critical issue, which would likely be exacerbated by veterinarian or industry sources of related compounds.  According to the authors, monitoring programs and strategies to manage antibiotic contamination of waterways, especially in areas at risk, are warranted.

Environmental exposure levels of antibiotics in global rivers. Total risk quotient is calculated as the sum of individual risk quotients of all 40 antibiotics in the global river system under low-flow conditions.

Credit

Macedo et al.

Journal

PNAS Nexus

Article Title

Antibiotics in the global river system arising from human consumption

Article Publication Date

22-Apr-2025