Cat people and dog people
The terms dog people and cat people refer to a person's domesticated pet animal preference. Some people base a significant portion of their identity around their affinity for either cats or dogs. This builds on the perceived dichotomy between cats and dogs as pets in society.[1][2] The two terms refer to people's self-identification, regardless of what pets they actually own, if any.[3]
Research
A 2010 study at the University of Texas found that those who identified as "dog people" tended to be more social and outgoing, whereas "cat people" tended to be more neurotic and "open", meaning creative, philosophical, or nontraditional.[4] In a 2014 study at Carroll University, Wisconsin, people who said they were dog lovers were found to be more energetic and outgoing, and tended to follow rules closely, while cat lovers were more introverted, open-minded and sensitive. Cat people also tended to be non-conformists, as well as scoring higher on intelligence tests than dog lovers.[5] Studies have shown that cat owners are more likely to have higher blood pressure according to CNN.[6], However, according to a research report done by Vanderbilt University, dogs have been seen to be more intelligent than cats.[7]
See also
- Cat lady, a usually derogatory depiction of a female cat person
References
- ABC News. "Dog People vs. Cat People: What Pet Preference Says About You". ABC News.
- Alli B. "10 Signs You Are A Crazy Cat Person (And Proud Of It!)". The Animal Rescue Site Blog.
- "How are dog people and cat people different?". cnn.com.
- Gosling Samuel D., Sandy Carson J., Potter Jeff (2010). "Personalities of Self-Identified "Dog People" and "Cat People"". Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of the Interactions of People & Animals. 23 (3): 213–222. doi:10.2752/175303710X12750451258850.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- Cat People Are Smarter Than Dog People, New Study Shows, Huffington Post"
- 'Mysterious power over humanity': How cats affect health, CNN
- Craven, Scott. "Are dogs smarter than cats? Science makes the call". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
Further reading
- Gosling Samuel D., Sandy Carson J., Potter Jeff (2010). "Personalities of Self-Identified "Dog People" and "Cat People"". Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of the Interactions of People & Animals. 23 (3): 213–222. doi:10.2752/175303710X12750451258850.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- Perrine, Rose M; Osbourne, Hannah L (2015). "Personality Characteristics of Dog and Cat Persons". Anthrozoös. 11: 33–40. doi:10.1080/08927936.1998.11425085.
- Parsons, Christine E.; LeBeau, Richard T.; Kringelbach, Morten L.; Young, Katherine S. (2019-08-21). "Pawsitively sad: pet-owners are more sensitive to negative emotion in animal distress vocalizations". Royal Society Open Science. Royal Society. 6 (8). doi:10.1098/rsos.181555. ISSN 2054-5703. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
- Alba, Beatrice; Haslam, Nick (2015-04-28). "Dog People and Cat People Differ on Dominance-Related Traits" (PDF). Anthrozoös. Bloomsbury Publishing. 28 (1): 37–44. doi:10.2752/089279315X14129350721858. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
- Woodward, Lucinda E.; Bauer, Amy L. (2007). "People and Their Pets: A Relational Perspective on Interpersonal Complementarity and Attachment in Companion Animal Owners". Society and Animals. Animals & Society Institute. 15 (2): 169–189. doi:10.1163/156853007X187117. Retrieved 2020-02-09.