Why We Give Our Pets Voices

Do you give your pets their own voice and personality? Announce their thoughts like they could talk? Or maybe you use the signature baby voice for them? We don’t judge! Bridgette and Lindsey discuss how our pets can act as conduits for our own subconscious thoughts and feelings. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, and as we discuss, it can be an emotional outlet.

Key Takeaways

• We see pets as part of our internal family structures, making us more likely to want to create personalities for them by anthropomorphizing them.
• This externalization can help us with our own indirect emotional expression.
• Animal anthropomorphization can be linked to similar outlets as play, which are proven to aid in expressing vulnerability, comfort, silliness, and more.
• Pets can also allow people to feel a sense of belonging and understanding when they may feel isolated or unable to express themselves directly.
• Our pets can become extensions of ourselves, and their “voices” allow us to feel bonded to our nonhuman counterparts.

Resources Mentioned

• Nicholas Epley, “On seeing human: a three-factor theory of anthropomorphism”, Psychological Review, October 2007, 864-868.
• Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, New York: Gotham Books, 2017.

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☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

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