The Journal & Courier ran a USA Today story about a study showing that humans have more sympathy for abused dogs than abused humans.
A new study has found abused dogs — both puppies and adults — elicit more sympathy than abused adult humans.
From the Scientific Journal, “Duh!” I presume. Perceived innocence and defenselessness are going to trigger a more sympathetic response.
I once had a buddy, a complete misanthrope, who said that, if he was driving down the road and had to choose between hitting a puppy and hitting a kid, he’d let the puppy live because he knew the kid, while innocent now, would almost certainly grow up to be a jerk in one fashion or another. Dogs remain innocent.
Ah, where a qualitative research methodology could have easily replaced the quantitative data one. Another example? Researchers have found (using quantitative data) that BMV drivers tend to be assholes, especially those who drive blue ones. I could have concluded THAT without developing a quantitative methodological model.