Over-projection

Projection is a type of psychological defense mechanism, which refers to projecting one's own thoughts, motives, desires or emotions onto others or objects.

One reason why parents dote on their children is that they project their childhood selves onto their children. They treat their children as if they were making up for the shortcomings they failed to achieve in childhood. What they consider is not what their children want, but themselves. Want to give something.

This phenomenon also occurs when pet owners treat their pets. Because pets serve as our emotional sustenance, part of our inner emotional needs will naturally be reflected in pets.

Some owners will buy a large amount of high-priced staple food and snacks for their pets, some owners will particularly like to pet and hug their pets, and some owners like to dress their pets up beautifully. In fact, they all have the inner psychology of treating their pets. The phenomenon of projection of needs onto pets.

This phenomenon is essentially normal, but once it is excessive it can turn into doting. This dividing line between normal and excessive is the psychological boundary.

Unclear psychological boundary

Psychological boundary refers to the inherent deposits of interaction between individuals and between individuals and the environment. It is an inherent attribute of individual psychology and is manifested in the interaction between individuals and the environment. The psychological uniqueness and relatedness of others and the environment.

To put it simply, it is the psychological boundary within which we recognize "I am me" and "others are others". For example, the psychological boundaries between us and our colleagues must be clearer and clearer than the boundaries between us and our parents. Because we will include our loved ones as part of our self-perception, but we can clearly recognize that our colleagues are independent individuals that have nothing to do with us.

When the owner's psychological boundaries about the pet are not clear, he will regard the pet as a part of himself rather than an independent life. At this time, the owner will think that he cannot live without his pet, and the pet must be completely attached to and belong to him.

At this time, it is easy for doting to occur. For example, blindly giving too many snacks to pets while ignoring the real situation and needs of pets.

Weak awareness of rules

The projection of excessive emotions and needs on pets leads to unclear psychological boundaries between owners and pets, causing owners to dote on their pets, which ultimately determines whether the doting behavior will The factor causing adverse effects is the awareness of rules.

For a rule-conscious owner, no matter how much you pamper your pet, the final consequences will be reflected on the owner and the pet and will not affect others. But a master without a sense of rulesHuman beings are like walking bombs that can cause harm to others at any time.

Walking your dog without a leash and allowing your dog to hurt people are all signs of a lack of awareness of rules. Personality characteristics related to this include self-centeredness, low sense of responsibility, narcissism, etc.

Narcissism and self-centeredness lead them to focus only on their own interests and ignore the rights and interests of others. Their sense of responsibility prevents them from evaluating and taking responsibility for the adverse consequences of their actions. The final result is a disregard for and destruction of rules.

They do not take the public order and good customs recognized by society to heart, do not feel that rules have a binding effect on their behavior, and they also do not care about and respect the rights and interests of others.

In addition, pets do not distinguish between good and evil and do not know right from wrong. With the connivance of their owners, they are more likely to hurt others. As an owner, not only will they not stop them, but they will curse or even inflict violence on those who stop or object. with violence. This is the most serious and harmful factor in doting on pets.

Doting on pets is a very common problem, but it is often easily ignored by us because it has been covered up by our daily habits. We often hear about how to take good care of pets in all aspects, but few people remind us whether we may pamper our pets too much.

Why so few people can tell whether it is doting or not?

It is difficult to identify doting

Since the most people pets come into contact with are their own owners, when the owners feel that it is okay for them to treat their pets this way, it is difficult for others to blame them.

But just like parents of naughty children will never think that their children are naughty, doting pet owners will never think that there is something wrong with the way they treat their pets.

We love our pets and treat them like family members, and if this behavior does not harm others, there seems to be nothing wrong with it.

However,coddling is most obvious and has the most serious consequences in one situation, and that is when a pet is allowed to hurt someone.