Dogs and cats are not only separated by an age-old enmity . Their habits are also very different and one can sense that their way of understanding the world is also very different.

Dogs tend to be gregarious, just as wolves are, and they appreciate displays of affection that even the most uninhibited people may find unwelcome. Cats are much more independent, more unpredictable, and not always welcome strokes and hugs.

Being a fan of dogs or cats could define your personality

It is clear that they are different animals, because they do not have much reason to look alike either. They are not exactly like water and oil, but they have not been carved by evolution to be inseparable companions either, and their way of behaving has been developed to adapt to different environments and in different ways.

However, these obvious differences that exist between dogs and cats could be translated into subtle differences in the personality and ideology of their “fans”.

Some people insist that any human being can be defined depending on his or her answer to the following question: “do you like dogs or cats better? .

The answer to this question, whatever it may be, admits few nuances and will hardly provide as much information about someone as a personal interview. However, it’s easy to think that, since dogs and cats act so differently, the personality of their handlers may also be different.

But… How true is this? Does simply preferring one or the other animal say enough about people to be able to build two personality profiles? Some studies give reason to think so.

Correlations

Anyone interested in psychology, sociology or economics knows that there is a vast ocean of research showing the craziest correlations. Virtually any set of data can be compared with another to see if there are relationships between them, and the world of dogs and cats could not be left out, considering the money it moves and the interest it generates.

If there are already market studies that try to profile the typical consumer of coffee capsules, it is easy to imagine why there are studies that try to define the personality of people according to their degree of liking for dogs or cats . However, the correlations found between the preference for one or another animal and the scores on psychological tests do have a minimum theoretical basis: the description of the “personality” of one or another species and the degree to which they complement the human that fills out the response forms.

Are you dominant? This cat is not for you

Two researchers hypothesized that dominant people tend to prefer dogs . These people would be more likely to prefer animals that are more dependent on them, more predictable, and more sensitive to a system of punishment and reward. The results seemed to support them in part.

The group of dog fans obtained higher scores than the cat fans in competitiveness and in Social Dominance Orientation , which implies that its members accept more social inequality and hierarchical systems. However, dog and cat lovers showed no differences in their assertiveness and narcissism scores, something that was not contemplated in the initial hypothesis.

Cats’ friends are more introverted

Neither dogs nor cats are known for wanting to stay at home, but the latter go for walks on their own. This means that the relationship between humans and cats is more domestic and that the responsibility of caring for one of these animals does not imply having to go out to the park every day to meet other pet owners. If one of the two animals is more socially related, as we humans understand it, that is the dog.

Does this mean that dog lovers appreciate new and unexpected social contacts more? It might, according to research conducted by Samuel D. Gosling, Carlson J. Sandy and Jeff Potter. This team found correlations between people’s preference for dogs or cats and their personality scores on the Big Five test, or five major personality traits. Volunteers who preferred dogs scored high on extraversion, friendliness and responsibility/organization. Cat lovers, on the other hand, scored higher on the two remaining personality dimensions: neuroticism and openness to experience.

The main course: the level of intelligence

Psychologist Denise Guastello, from Carroll University, participated in a study that sought to address the differences in intelligence scores between supporters of one animal or another.

The cat lovers obtained a higher score in the intelligence tests, thus fulfilling the stereotype that associates introversion and higher IQ. However, this would only apply to people, since in general terms cats do not show signs of being more intelligent than dogs.

In short, if statistics are given a voice they seem to be able to speak in favour of some psychological differences between dog and cat supporters . However, it is not yet known if these differences are due only to cultural factors, too small samples of volunteers or if they reflect more or less solid psychological mechanisms.

Therefore, one cannot take the issue for granted and decide that these psychological profiles are immovable. Preference for dogs or cats may trigger passions, but these should be set aside when interpreting the results.

Bibliographic references:

  • Alba, B. and Haslam, N. Dog People and Cat People Differ on Dominance-Related Traits. Anthrozoos (link).
  • Gosling, S. D., Sandy, C. J. and Potter, J. (2010). Personalities of Self-Identified Dog People and Cat People. Anthrozoo, 23(2), pp. 213 – 222.