Compatibility Stereotypes of People and Pets: A Photograph Matching Study

Abstract

Compatibility is an important aspect of the relationship between people and their pets as it is likely to influence both the quality and the longevity of the relationship. Perceived compatibility is also important since the stereotypical views we hold of particular person-pet combinations are likely to affect our pet selections. So far, little research has been carried out in this area. The present study investigated the existence and nature of pet-owner stereotypes with respect to male and female target persons in combination with cats and dogs. A sample of 102 students paired up photographs of ten people with photographs of ten pets and provided reasons for their pairings. Chi square analyses demonstrated significant pairing trends for nine of the ten target persons and thus evidence for pet-owner stereotypes. They also suggest that, as with human stereotypes, sex is a major component, specifically, males were associated with larger dogs and females with smaller dogs and cats. Qualitative analyses of the reasons for selecting pairs revealed a wide range of factors including sex, age, personality attributes and appearance.