Using an online survey to analyze “Big Five” personality dimensions between self-proclaimed “dog” and “cat people,” researchers found that dog people scored higher on Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, but lower on Neuroticism and Openness than cat people.

The differences identified between “dog people” and “cat people” remained significant even when controlling for gender-based differences in companion animal ownership rates. This paper further examines the possible sources of personality differences and identifies key questions for future research.