Research - Is There a Personality Difference Between Cat and Dog People

7/23/2019 Research - Is There a Personality Difference Between Cat and Dog People

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Jovana Radojcic, 2012/895, group F

Abstract

The so ca!!ed di""erences in persona!it# bet$een cat and dog !overs have been the subject

o" %an# researches and suppositions& The ai% o" this research is to e'p!ore and discuss

the persona!it# di""erences that ca%e "ro% the "indings& The %ethodo!og# e%p!o#ed

inc!uded a (uestionnaire that consisted o" thirteen (uestions& Fort# subjects too) part in

the research& *pecia! e%phasis is put on the aspects o" e'troversion and introversion& The

resu!ts point to dog peop!e as %ore e'troverted and open to ne$ peop!e, $hi!e cat peop!e

are %ore independent and open to tr#ing ne$ things&

+e# $ords cats, dogs, persona!it#, introversion, e'troversion


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-s there a persona!it# di""erence bet$een cat and dog peop!e.

-ntroduction

eop!e de!ight in c!assi"#ing the%se!ves into groups and categories& There"ore, it s not

unco%%on that $e are "re(uent!# as)ed o #ou pre"er co""ee or tea. 3hoco!ate or

vani!!a. *u%%er or $inter. 3ats or dogs. eop!e as) those (uestions in order to "ind out

%ore about their inter!ocutor&

3ou!d it be that these c!assi"ications rea!!# te!! us so%ething about the other person. The

subject o" this research is to "ind out $hether there is a di""erence in persona!it# bet$een

peop!e that identi"# the%se!ves as e'c!usive!# cat or dog !overs&

4atura!!#, cats and dogs be!ong to di""erent species and as it can be e'pected there are

obvious di""erences in their behavior& -t cou!d be that because o" those distinctions there

are strong!# he!d be!ie"s that the persona!ities o" cat and dog !overs are a!so po!es apart&

3ats are o"ten perceived as inte!!igent and %#sterious independent creatures that are %ore

attached to their environ%ent than o$ners& ogs, on the contrar#, are genera!!# seen as

!o#a!, p!a#"u! and attention see)ing ani%a!s that depend on their o$ners& The# are o"ten

re"erred to as a %an s best "riend &

eop!e have a!$a#s been interested in ana!# ing and e'p!oring the $a# hu%an brain

"unctions and $hat %a)es individua!s di""erent "ro% one another& 6hat %a)es us

di""erent is our persona!it#& 7ne o" the de"initions o" persona!it# is that ersona!it# re"ers

to those characteristics o" the person that account "or consistent patterns o" "ee!ings,

thin)ing and behaving ervin, 3ervone John, 2005, p&:;& Those characteristics that

%a)e us uni(ue have been o" interest to %an# ps#cho!ogists, thus it !ed to a p!ethora o"

persona!it# c!assi"ication tests such as


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to %ing!e around and ta!) constant!# drain their energ#& There"ore, introspective ti%e

a!one is their "avorite sanctuar# to recharge &

7n the other hand, e'troverts are tota! opposites o" introverts& =eing $ith other peop!e

energi es the% and %a)es the% "ee! better& This is $h# the# see) out socia! situations,

$hi!e spending ti%e a!one )i!!s their spirit o" a socia! butter"!# &

-ntroversion and e'troversion are the %ain characteristics that - $i!! tr# to connect $ith

peop!e that have a strong pre"erence "or cats or dogs& @o$ever, so%e (uestions can give

us ans$ers to %atters o" independenc# and dependenc#, $i!!ingness to $or) $ith other

peop!e and openness to ne$ things&

=ac)ground-n 2010, *a%ue! & os!ing, "ro% epart%ent o" s#cho!og# at Bniversit# o" Te'as, $ith

3arson J& *and# and Je"" otter, conducted a research on this subject na%ed

ersona!ities o" *e!" -denti"ied og eop!e and 3at eop!e & Respondents $ere "irst

given a =ig Five persona!it# traits test& A tota! o" C,5:5 vo!unteers participated in the

research, both %a!e and "e%a!e& Fort# si' percent identi"ied the%se!ves as dog peop!e

and on!# t$e!ve percent as cat peop!e& This research inc!uded the option o" identi"#ing as

both 28 D; and neither 15 D;& The resu!ts o" this research sho$ed that dog peop!eindeed $ere %ore e'troverted than cat peop!e, but a!so %ore conscientious and agreeab!e&

7n the other hand, cat peop!e $ere %ore neurotic and open than dog peop!e&


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the%& Further%ore, "i"th and si'th (uestion revea! i" participants are %ore introverted or

e'troverted& *i%i!ar!#, ans$ers to seventh and eighth (uestion give in"or%ation about

participants both introversion/e'troversion and openness to ne$ ac(uaintances in socia!

situations& 3oup!ed $ith ans$ers to thirteenth (uestion, it a!so sho$s participants

openness to ne$ things& 4e't, (uestions nu%ber nine and ten sho$ i" pet o$ners pre"er

environ%ent and activit# assigned to their pets& Fina!!#, e!eventh and t$e!"th (uestion te!!

i" participants are dependent on other peop!e or not&

- contacted a!! %# "riends that o$ned e'c!usive!# cats or dogs and pre"erred one or the

other to participate in the research& The# "i!!ed a (uestionnaire on!ine through oog!e

For%s& A tota! nu%ber o" respondents $ere C0& Respondents $ere both %a!e and "e%a!e

aged bet$een 19 and 22 #ears& - decided not to inc!ude peop!e that pre"erred both catsand dogs or neither, because the# $ere not the subject o" this research and the "indings

about their characteristics $ou!d not be re!evant "or %# research& -t cou!d be that this

nu%ber o" participants is not enough to get a c!ear picture on the %atter, but this is the

nu%ber o" peop!e that %atched the t#pe o" persons needed "or this research to be

conducted and $ere $i!!ing to participate in it& -n %# hu%b!e opinion, this research sti!!

presents so%e genera! picture on the subject&

Findings

7" the "ort# participants, nineteen identi"ied as cat !overs and o$ners CG, 5 D; and

t$ent# one as dog !overs and o$ners 52, 5 D;&

-n the "irst p!ace, t$ent# eight respondents G0 D; stated that the# pre"erred to spend

their !eisure ti%e a!one and on!# t$e!ve that the# $ou!d rather do so%ething $ith others

E0D;& >ven though both cat and dog !overs pre"erred to spend their ti%e a!one, %ore

dog !overs E8 D; responded that the# $ou!d do so%ething $ith other peop!e& The resu!ts

$ere !i)e$ise "or the pre"erence o" having a !ot o" "riends or associating $ith a s%a!!

group o" hand pic)ed peop!e&

4e't, the %ajorit# o" cat !overs reported that it $as not eas# "or the% to co%%unicate

$ith ne$ peop!e and %a)e ne$ "riends :8 D;, $hi!e on the other hand, dog !overs

reported that being sociab!e ca%e natura!!# to the% G1 D;&


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As "or being an open boo), %ore dog !overs reported that the# are eas# to get to )no$

G: D;, $hi!e just 2: D o" cat !overs thin) the sa%e&

6hen it co%es to being an outdoor or indoor person, %ost cat !overs said that the# pre"er

being indoors 95 D;& 3orresponding!#, G:D o" dog !overs pre"erred sta#ing indoors,

$hi!e on!# 2C D opted "or outdoors& 4ot surprising!#, a considerab!e nu%ber o" cat !overs

reported that the# $ou!d !i)e their pet to cudd!e $ith the% 95 D; rather than be active,

$hi!e dog !overs $ere on the sa%e page, but a "air nu%ber o" the% reported that the#

$ou!d rather their pet be active $ith the% CG D;&

4o$, open ended (uestions $ere interesting to respondents and the# !isted a !ot o" traits

that their pet possessed and that the# va!ued& A signi"icant nu%ber o" dog !overs put

!o#a!t# in the "irst p!ace& !a#"u!ness and e%path# "o!!o$ed& 7ther traits that the# !isted

$ere a""ectionate, obedient, "riend!#, grate"u! and protective& 7n!# t$o participants putinte!!igent on the !ist& og !overs put !o#a!t#, again, in the "irst p!ace as a trait that the#

shared $ith their pet& Friend!# and a""ectionate $ere the t$o characteristics that $ere a!so

co%%on& >%path#, cheer"u!ness and even being adorab!e $ere a!so "ound on the !ist&

Ha!ued characteristics o" their pets, cat o$ners rated in this $a# ca!%ness, inte!!igence

and tidiness $ere in top three& A%ong these, other cherished traits $ere )indness, being

(uiet, p!a#"u!, snugg!#, char%ing, cunning, independent, !aid bac) and agi!e& 7ne person

!isted even se!" centeredness as a va!ued trait o" their cat& @o$ever, the %ost "re(uent

shared characteristics $ere inte!!igence and independence& Tidiness $as the characteristic

in the third p!ace&

6ith regard to dependenc# and independenc#, the %ajorit# o" cat peop!e G9 D; stated

that the# are not !i)e!# turn to other peop!e $hen %a)ing decisions& 7n the contrar#, dog

peop!e, si't# seven percent o" the%, said that the# appreciate others opinion in decision

%a)ing process& Responses sho$ that eight# one percent o" dog peop!e pre"er $or)ing in

a tea%& -n contrast, cat peop!e pre"er $or)ing a!one, a tota! o" eight# "our percent opted

"or this option&

Fina!!#, ninet# "our percent o" cat peop!e responded that the# enjo# tr#ing ne$ things,

$hi!e on!# "i"t# t$o percent o" dog peop!e reported the sa%e&


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iscussion and Ana!#sis

According to the gathered data, there is a c!ose corre!ation bet$een introverted and

e'troverted persons and $hether the# are cat or dog !overs& @o$ever, - $as surprised$ith ho$ %an# respondents pre"erred s%a!! groups o" peop!e and spending ti%e a!one,

$hether the# $ere cat or dog !overs& =ut it cou!d be that %# sa%p!e $as not rando%

enough and it did not inc!ude a !arge nu%ber o" peop!e& 6hat supported the %ain theor#

$ere responses to other (uestions "ro% the (uestionnaire& There"ore, dog !overs turned

out to be %ore open to ne$ "riendships, cooperation and tea%$or), as $e!! as other

peop!e s advice& 3at peop!e, on the other hand, appeared to be %ore independent, se!"

satis"ied persons than dog peop!e, but a!so %ore open to tr#ing ne$ things& -n addition,

traits that respondents !isted as the ones the# pet possessed, sho$ed that dogs are sti!!

seen as !o#a!, "riend!# and a""ectionate ani%a!s, $hi!e cats are perceived as independent

and inte!!igent creatures&

3onc!usion

This research supports the initia! theor# and it is part!# in agree%ent $ith the be"ore

%entioned research that *a%ue! & os!ing conducted& -n %# opinion, on!# part!#,

because it did not inc!ude an# )ind o" persona!it# test to conc!ude $hether respondents

$ere tru!# introverted or e'troverted& Ta)ing a persona!it# test be"orehand $ou!d give a

c!ear picture o" $hether there is a signi"icant di""erence bet$een the persona!ities o" cat

and dog !overs& The resu!ts "ro% this )ind o" research can be use"u! "or certain t#pes o"

pet therap# or $hen choosing a pet in ani%a! she!ters& Further research cou!d be done on

the subject $hether other t#pes o" pets, not just cats and dogs, have an#thing to do $ith

the persona!it# o" their o$ners& A!! in a!!, this research sho$s that co%pared to dog peop!e, cat !overs are usua!!# %ore independent than dog peop!e, $hi!e dog peop!e are

genera!!# "riend!ier than cat peop!e&


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Re"erences

1& ervin, I& A, 3ervone, , John, 7& & 2005;& ersona!it# Theor# and Research

9th ed&;& @obo)en, 4J John 6i!e# *ons&2& os!ing, *a%ue! , *and#, 3arson J, otter, Je""& ersona!ities o" se!" identi"ied

dog peop!e and cat peop!e& Anthro oKs, Ho! 2E E;, *ep 2010, 21E 222&


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Appendi' ?uestionnaire

Lou $ou!d sa# that #ou are %ore o" a1& dog person2& cat person

Lou o$n a1& dog s;2& cat s;

6hat traits do #ou va!ue that #our pet possesses.o #ou share so%e o" those traits $ith #our pet. 6hich ones.

6hen - have "ree ti%e -1& pre"er to do so%ething $ith the others2& pre"er to spend so%e ti%e a!one

6hen it co%es to "riends, -

1& have a !ot o" "riends and ac(uaintances2& associate $ith a s%a!! group o" chosen peop!e

-t is eas# "or #ou to co%%unicate $ith ne$ peop!e and %a)e "riends1& true2& "a!se

7thers $ou!d sa# that - a% eas# to get to )no$1& true2& "a!se

6ou!d #ou describe #ourse!" %ore as an outdoor or indoor person.

1& outdoor 2& indoor

6ou!d #ou rather #our pet cudd!e or be active $ith #ou.1& cudd!e2& be active

Lou o"ten turn to other peop!e $hen %a)ing decisions1& true2& "a!se

Lou are a tea% p!a#er and #ou enjo# $or)ing on group projects rather than b# #ourse!"

1& true2& "a!se

Lou enjo# ta)ing part in various activities and tr#ing ne$ things1& true2& "a!se

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Research - Is There a Personality Difference Between Cat and Dog People