ウマ ノ ガイボウ ニ タイスル ヒト ノ シカク ニンチ

Abstract

本研究は,動物との相互関係における人の視覚認知に着目し,視線計測装置を用いて馬を観察した際の人の視線追従(注視部位,注視回数,注視時間)ならびに瞳孔径の変化を定量化した。さらに観察者の性格特性や馬に対する印象と視線との関連性を考察することを目的とした。得られたデータから,人の性格傾向において,外向性が高いほど肢・尻の部位に対し,また神経症傾向が高いほど,首・肩・胸の部位に対する注視回数や注視時間が低かった。特に神経症傾向が高い場合,馬の顔に視線が集まるといった,観察者の性格特性と注視部位に関連が認められた。また馬に対する恐怖感は,馬の外貌の中でも脚部から影響を受けると考えられた。さらに乗馬経験および動物の飼育経験と馬の顔への注視回数・時間に有意な正の相関が認められた。これらの結果から,人が動物との関係をもつ場合,アイコンタクトをはじめとした人同士のコミュニケーション方法を動物に対しても同様に適用していると考えられた。これらの視線解析を中心とした本研究の結果は,馬との相互関係から得られる精神的効果,また現在まで多く報告されている自閉症をはじめとしたコミュニケーションに関する障碍に対する動物介在療法・活動・教育の実施内容を支持するものである。This study was conducted to investigate the visual tracking processes and pupil diameter changes of subjects while observing horses, and to analyze the relationship between the personality characteristics of these subjects and their impressions about horses. Mobile Eye Tracking Product was used to measure which part of the horse\u27s body the subjects were observing more frequently than the other parts. The observed body parts of the horse were categorized into four areas : "face", "neck, shoulders, chest", "abdomen, back", and "extremities, buttocks". A quantitative analysis was conducted based on observation frequency and time, as well as pupil diameter, while tracking the observation of each of the above-mentioned four categorized body parts of the horse. The personality of each subject and his/her impressions about the horse were digitized, and this individual trait and the result of the visual trait analysis were compared and examined. Those data indicate that there is a correlation among personality characteristics of the subjects, their impressions about horses, and their close observations of the body parts of the horses. On the one hand, feelings of fear seem to be influenced by the appearance of the horses\u27 extremities, and on the other hand, there is a positive correlation between horseback riding and nurturing experiences, and the frequency and time of observing the face of the horse. The behavior of making eye contact to establish communication between humans is also applied for establishing relationships between humans and animals. The results of this study including the visual tracking analysis support the notion of the beneficial psychological effects obtained by the mutual relationship between humans and horses in the fields of education, various activities, and animal assisted therapy for persons suffering from communication disorders such as autism