PSYC Seminar: “Cat Behaviour and the Human-Cat Relationship: Consequences for animal assisted intervention”, Dennis C. Turner, University of Zurich, 4:30PM 19 November (EN)

Please join Bilkent University’s Psychology Department on Friday for the virtual visit of Dr Dennis C. Turner.

Speaker: Dennis C. Turner, University of Zurich

“Cat Behaviour and the Human-Cat Relationship: Consequences for animal assisted intervention”

Date: Friday, 19 November 2021
Time: 16:30

Abstract: Knowledge from research on the following topics will be briefly summarized and the consequences of this knowledge for animal assisted work with cats in institutions and private practices will be pointed out:
1. Hunting behavior and avoiding problems
2. Home range behavior and avoiding problems
3. Housing conditions at home and in institutions
4. Socialization to people / conspecifics
5. Basic personality types
6. Coat color and sex and the cat’s personality
7. Spontaneously preferred partners of cats?
8. Readiness to interact with a person
9. Initiation of social contact and (total) interaction time
10. Influence of cats on human moods

The speaker and his research team have published results on all of the above topics. Summaries are available in Turner, Dennis C. (2017) Behavioural Processes 141 (3), 297-304 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.01.008); (2021) Front. Vet. Sci. 8:650143 (doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.650143); and (2021) Animals 11, 2823 (https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102823)

About the speaker: Turner earned his doctorate at The Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Dept. of Mental Hygiene (animal and human behavior) in 1974. He was a Senior Research Associate and Lecturer on companion animal behavior and human-animal relationships at the University of Zurich to 2011, Invited Professor for AnthroZoology and Animal Assisted Therapy at Azabu University Graduate School near Tokyo for 14 years, president of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations for 15 years, co-founder and secretary of the International Society for Animal Assisted Therapy until 2015, former co-editor of Animal Welfare and Anthrozoös and is currently co-editor of People and Animals: the International Journal for Research and Practice. Since 1991 he is owner and director of the private research and continuing education institute I.E.A.P. near Zurich and since 2000 he is titled Privatdozent (Dr. habil.) at the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich.
www.turner-iet.ch