Philipp Höhne
Philipp Höhne is a medical student in the clinical phase of his studies at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. Since March 2026, he has been a doctoral candidate in the Translational Social Neuroscience research group at the Center for Mental Health.
In his doctoral project, he is investigating whether a virtual dog can reduce stress responses in humans (social buffering). In doing so, he examines both physical reactions, such as skin conductance, and subjective experiences, for example through mood surveys. As part of this, he is testing whether this depends on how strongly the dog is perceived as socially present compared to a mere presence without social interaction. It is assumed that a socially present dog can elicit stronger social buffering effects than a virtual dog that is merely present at the same time.
The study aims to clarify whether and under what conditions a virtual dog can act as a social supporter and thereby reduce stress reactions in humans.
