Data_Sheet_1_Humans Dominate the Social Interaction Networks of Urban Free-Ranging Dogs in India.PDF

• Main Authors: Debottam Bhattacharjee, Anindita Bhadra
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Applied Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Developmental and Educational Psychology; Neuroscience and Physiological Psychology; Organizational Behavioral Psychology; Personality; Social and Criminal Psychology; Gender Psychology; Health; Clinical and Counselling Psychology; Industrial and Organisational Psychology; Psychology not elsewhere classified; Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified; human-animal interaction; dog–human interaction; free-ranging dogs; human flux; social network analysis; Indian; Canis lupus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02153.s001; https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Data_Sheet_1_Humans_Dominate_the_Social_Interaction_Networks_of_Urban_Free-Ranging_Dogs_in_India_PDF/12859196

Research on human-animal interaction has skyrocketed in the last decade. Rapid urbanization has led scientists to investigate its impact on several species living in the vicinity of humans. Domesticated dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are one such species that interact with humans and are also called man’s best friend. However, when it comes to the free-ranging population of dogs, interactions become quite complicated. Unfortunately, studies regarding free-ranging dog–human interactions are limited even though the majority of the world’s dog population is free-ranging. In this study, we observed twelve groups of free-ranging dogs in their natural habitat, the streets. We quantified their interactions at the intra (dog–dog) and interspecific (dog–human) levels. The study areas were divided into two zones, namely – intermediate and high flux, based on human activity or movement. Social network analysis revealed higher instances of interspecific than intraspecific interactions, irrespective of the human flux zones. Humans, in significantly higher occasions, initiated both positive and negative behaviors in comparison to dogs. Our findings conclude that humans are a crucial part of the interaction network of Indian free-ranging dogs.