An imaginary emergency posed a difficult choice.
In 2013, researcher Richard Topolski and his colleagues published a study in the journal Anthrozoös in which they asked 573 participants to imagine life-or-death scenarios and choose between saving a pet or a person. In one scenario, they had to choose between saving their own dog or a foreign tourist, and about 40% said they would save their pet.
Some participants described their pets as children or siblings, rather than as possessions. In addition, the figure varied depending on how the dilemma was framed: for example, whether the other person was a foreign tourist, a stranger from their city, or someone with whom they had a close relationship. The authors caution that these are responses to a hypothetical survey, not a prediction of what someone would do under real pressure. What would weigh more heavily for you: your bond with your dog or the life of someone you don’t know? 🐶