SAN FRANCISCO — A study by Facebook researchers compared “cat people” and “dog people” and confirmed some things many of us already suspected.
Researchers used object recognition technology to identify photos with cats and/or dogs in them and then compared social characteristics of people who posted more cat photos and people who posted more dog photos.
The study found there are more “dog people” than “cat people.” The study found “dog people” have more friends than “cat people.” On average, “dog people” have 26 more friends.
However, that doesn’t mean cat people are anti-social.
“Cat people tend to get invited to more events, so they’re putting their friendships to good use!” researchers pointed out.
The study also found that “cat people” are more likely to be single.
“About 30 percent of cat people are single, compared to just 24 percent of dog people,” according to the study.
Age and gender didn’t seem to make a difference. “Cat people” also tend to prefer indoor activities, such as reading and watching TV or movies, researchers found.
“Cat people are especially fond of fantasy, sci-fi and anime, while dog people like stories and things about, well, dogs,” researchers said.
Shows and movies that are liked disproportionately by “cat people” have longer blue bars to the left, while shows and movies that “dog people” disproportionately like have longer green bars off the the right. If equal proportions of cat and dog people like a show/movie, no bar is visible.
Some of the preferences for entertainment might reflect where dog and cat lovers live, researchers said.
“Dog people are more concentrated in rural areas, where there’s more space for a dog to exercise, while cat people are more often found in cities (though many dog and cat lovers live in both kinds of places),” according to the study.
What about mood and emotions?
“Overall, cat people seem to express a wider variety of feelings on the site,” researchers said.
“Cat people” were more likely to admit feeling tired, amused and annoyed.
“Dog people” were more likely to express positive feelings, such as excited, proud, blessed and “fabulous.”
