Our boy went from looking up rabbit care to adopting a house rabbit from the SPCA in about two weeks. By "house" I mean my house. And we already have a dog, Banjo, because he really wanted a pet and we deluded ourselves, as do many parents, that it would be good for him. Teach him responsibility, give him a reason to go for walks, etc.
One of the widely-held beliefs is that pets are good for wellbeing. There is a good amount of research out there to suggest that exposure to pets can be particularly good for some groups of people. For example, many trials that have involved taking cats and dogs into retirement homes show pronounced impacts on happiness, at least until the trial ends and the animals stop coming.
So surely, having pets in general is good for us? In 2021, a team of local researchers led by my Victoria University of Wellington psychology colleague Gloria Fraser set out to test this, using data from the large-scale New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS), a big, nationally representative, longitudinal survey-based study that has become something of a world-leading machine for research.
Denne historien er fra December 16-22, 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra December 16-22, 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
