Vicious Dogs Part 2: Criminal Thinking, Callousness, and Personality Styles of Their Owners

• NCJ Number: 239632
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 57 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2012 Pages: 152-159
• Author(s): Allison M. Schenk, B.A.; Laurie L. Ragatz, M.S.; William J. Fremouw, Ph.D.
• Date Published: January 2012
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: See NCJ-226912 for Part 1

Annotation

This study was conducted to expand on previous research examining antisocial tendencies and personality styles of people choosing to own vicious breeds.

Abstract

Every year over 885,000 dog bites require serious medical attention. Based on human injury and insurance claims, six dog breeds were designated as "vicious" (Akitas, Chows, Dobermans, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Wolf-mixes). This study was conducted to expand on previous research examining antisocial tendencies and personality styles of people choosing to own vicious breeds. Seven hundred and fifty-four college students completed a questionnaire assessing type of dog owned, criminal thinking, callousness, personality, alcohol usage, and deviant lifestyle behaviors. Vicious dog owners reported significantly higher criminal thinking, entitlement, sentimentality, and superoptimism tendencies. Vicious dog owners were arrested, engaged in physical fights, and used marijuana significantly more than other dog owners. However, the homogeneous sample utilized could impact the generalizability of these findings. Choosing to own a vicious dog may be a "thin slice" indicator of more antisocial tendencies. Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.