Pet attachment and personality type

This study examined the relationship between personality type and pet attachment by administering the Keirsey Four Types Sorter and the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale to 163 participants. Idealist personality types had significantly higher attachment scores than Rationals and Artisans, but not Guardians. Rationals, Artisans, and Guardians did not differ from each other on attachment scores. In addition, stronger attachments to target pets were observed as the length of time the respondents cared for the target pets or other pets increased and as the number of current pets increased. Pet attachment was not significantly related to gender, marital status, or pet preference (dog versus cat), while it was nonlinearly related to age.