The cheese paradox: How do vegetarians justify consuming non-meat animal products?

Researchers interested in animal ethics have proposed the ‘meat paradox’ - psychological discomfort arising from people's affinity for animals and conflicting desire to consume their flesh. Yet what can be said about the psychology of consuming an animal's non-meat products, in an age where most beings in these industries are harmed, and ultimately killed? Non-meat animal products (NMAPs) such as eggs and dairy entail the same, and perhaps even worse ethical issues as meat yet receive disproportionately less critical attention. Therefore, unlike meat, very little is known about the psychology of egg and dairy consumption. This study looks at vegetarians to address this gap, because they are more likely to show empathetic concern for animals than meat-eaters, yet actively choose to include these products in their diet, a conflict ripe for exploration. Interview data were analysed via thematic analysis, finding that vegetarians perceive robust ethical issues with NMAPs but give various justifications pertaining to personal benefits and social norms. Cognitive dissonance was evident and participants used various strategies to resolve it. This paper expands research on food psychology and animal ethics and may also be used to inform NMAP reduction strategies, an important pursuit in the quest for a more sustainable and compassionate world

Between acceptance and veto: the meat perceptual dimensions

This paper designates and describes the perceptual dimensions (practical perceptual dimension and cultural perceptual dimension) that affects the acceptance of meat consumption and animal products, as well the (production) perceptual dimension that conditions hegemonic eating habits which may trigger the veto for the products mentioned above. I argue that the focus or the development of certain perceptions generated by consumers defines value systems, and beliefs, which influences the eating behaviors related to meat and animal products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Functional fixedness in chimpanzees

Differences in the tool use of non-human primates and humans are subject of ongoing debate. In humans, representations of object functions underpin efficient tool use. Yet, representations of object functions can lead to functional fixedness, which describes the fixation on a familiar tool function leading to less efficient problem solving when the problem requires using the tool for a new function. In the current study, we examined whether chimpanzees exhibit functional fixedness. After solving a problem with a tool, chimpanzees were less efficient in solving another problem which required using the same tool with a different function compared to a control group. This fixation effect was still apparent after a period of nine months and when chimpanzees had learned about the function of a tool by observation of a conspecific. These results suggest that functional fixedness in our closest living relatives likely exists and cast doubt on the notion that stable function representations are uniquely human

Am I too cute to eat? The effect of cuteness appeal on the promotion of a more plant-based diet

Classificação APA: 3900 Psicologia do Consumidor; 3920 Atitudes e Comportamentos do Consumido;r 4000 Psicologia Ambiental / American Psychological Association (PsycINFO Classification Categories and Codes): 3900 Consumer Psychology; 3920 Consumer Attitudes & Behavior; 4000 Environmental PsychologyReduzir o consumo de carne e adotar uma dieta mais baseada em alimentos de origem vegetal está associada a várias vantagens (e.g., sustentabilidade ambiental, saúde pública, bem-estar animal, etc.). No entanto, parece existir uma lacuna na investigação sobre os processos psicológicos que podem impedir (ou facilitar) esta transição. No presente estudo investigamos se a associação entre a comida e o animal que a originou poderá ser uma estratégia eficaz na promoção de uma dieta mais baseada em alimentos vegetais e se tal pode influenciar a avaliação dos indivíduos face a refeições com carne. Através de um estudo experimental, manipulámos a associação animal-carne (AMA) através da apresentação de imagens de um animal (porco), apresentado com dois níveis de cuteness (alto vs. baixo), juntamente com imagens de refeições (com carne porco como ingrediente principal). Adicionalmente, também analisámos se a dessensibilização face ao uso de animais para fins alimentares e a atribuição de capacidades mentais ao animal em análise têm um papel mediador nestas relações. Um total de 201 participantes (omnívoros) foram incluídos na análise (68.8% mulheres, Midade = 26.23; DP = 7.81) e distribuídos aleatoriamente por uma de três condições: (1) AMA com um animal muito cute; (2) AMA com um animal menos cute; (3) e uma condição de controlo (i.e., nenhum animal foi apresentado). Os nossos resultados sugerem que a AMA e o nível de cuteness do animal podem desempenhar um papel crítico e consistir abordagens eficazes para promover a disposição em adotar uma dieta mais baseada em produtos de origem vegetal, afectando negativamente a avaliação de refeições com carne. O efeito mediador da dessensibilização foi também confirmado: AMA conduziu a uma menor dessensibilização e consequentemente a uma avaliação mais negativa face a refeições com carne, bem como a uma maior disposição em adotar uma dieta mais baseada em vegetais. Os resultados revelaram ainda que a AMA não influenciou a atribuição de capacidades mentais, e que uma maior atribuição de capacidades mentais ao animal em análise levou a uma maior disposição para adotar uma dieta mais baseada em vegetais. Esta atribuição de capacidade mentais não afetou a avaliação das refeições. Estes resultados poderão informar iniciativas que promovam a transição para uma dieta mais baseada em produtos de origem vegetal, bem como trazer algumas orientações para a comunicação utilizada em organizações ambientais e outras entidades que promovem o bem-estar animal.A transition towards reduced meat consumption and a more plant-based diet (PBD) has several advantages (e.g., environmental sustainability, health promotion and animal welfare). However, research on the psychological processes that may hinder (or facilitate) this shift is still scarce. We investigated whether the association between the food and the living animal is effective in the promotion of a more PBD, and if the association influences individuals’ based-meat meals appraisal. In this experiment, we manipulated animal-meat association (AMA) through the presentation of pictures of an animal (pig), with two levels of cuteness (high vs. low), along with images of (pork) meals. We also examined whether desensitization and mind attribution mediate these relations. A total of 201 meat-eaters were included in the analysis (68.8% female, Mage = 26.23; SD = 7.81) and randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) AMA with a very cute animal; (2) AMA with a less cute animal; (3) and a control condition (i.e., no animal picture presented). Our findings suggest that AMA and animals’ cuteness may be effective in promoting willingness to follow a more PBD. AMA and animal cuteness also affected participants’ appraisal of meat meals. The mediator role of desensitization was confirmed: AMA led to lower desensitization and consequently to more negative appraisal towards meat-based meals, and to more willingness to follow a PBD. However, AMA did not predict mind attribution. Mind attribution positively influenced willingness to follow a PBD, but did not affect meals appraisal. These findings may be used to inform communication strategies in order to promote a more PBD and also communication applied by environmental and animal welfare organizations in order to promote animal welfare

Perspektiven auf Mensch-Tier-Beziehungen – Eine psychologische Analyse des Fleischkonsums für Bildungszwecke

Intensive livestock production and human dietary behaviors significantly contribute to environmental degradation, public health issues, animal welfare concerns, and biodiversity loss, with several planetary boundaries already being crossed. A transition toward a more sustainable dietary behavior, particularly by reducing meat consumption, is the global challenge of our age and is already being addressed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the 2030 Agenda. To promote this transformation, analyzing the conflicted relationship between meat eaters and farm animals is a key aspect. Concerning the meat paradox, most people fundamentally love animals but accept that certain farm animal species are killed for food, leading to a state of meat-related cognitive dissonance (MRCD) in humans. Education for sustainable development (ESD) is needed to address these issues in human-animal relationships and to promote changes in dietary behavior. The overall aim of this dissertation is to examine the relationships between humans and animals with a focus on pigs and meat consumption to derive initial implications for ESD. Therefore, conceptions of farm animal husbandry, belief in animal minds, levels of empathy, and portrayals in textbooks, were examined through three different empirical studies. The first study explores elementary school children’s conceptions of pig and dairy cow husbandry, revealing differences between those of farm and urban students as influenced by personal experiences and educational sources. The second study examines how empathy and belief in animal mind affect pork consumption, showing that meat eaters often attribute less mind to pigs and exhibit low empathy to avoid cognitive dissonance. The third study analyzes German biology textbooks, finding that companion animals are portrayed with more empathy and value than farm animals, reinforcing speciesist beliefs. These in part explorative findings contribute to the further development of the understanding of student conceptions, belief in animal mind, empathy, and speciesism by illustrating their relevance to psychological and educational research. Open research questions for education lie in the investigation of how depictions of farm animals contribute to the adoption of perspectives or the formation of speciesist attitudes and how they influence MRCD. From a psychological perspective, the mediation model presented can be extended by examining the difference between perceiving the cognitive versus the emotional abilities of animals and integrating feelings of guilt as a moderator into the model to elucidate further variance. Overall, the dissertation highlights the complexity and inequalities in human-animal relationships, particularly in the context of livestock production and meat consumption. The findings highlight the crucial role of ESD in raising awareness about the environmental and ethical impacts of meat consumption and production, aligning with the learning objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals. A major challenge that ESD faces is overcoming societal and cultural biases against farm animals, which can be reinforced by educational materials. ESD should integrate knowledge of livestock production with ethical values to foster empathy toward all animals and encourage learners to question the ethical implications of their dietary behaviors. It is necessary to revise educational materials, especially German biology textbooks, to address MRCD and empower learners to make informed decisions about their diets. In general, encouraging cross-cutting competencies in ESD can empower learners to make informed decisions about their dietary behavior and to actively engage in sustainability discussions by reflecting on their impact on the environment and society

Food and sustainability: meat consumption and vegetarianism in Brazil and the United Kingdom

There is a growing literature on meat consumption and reduced meat diets, given the negative impacts of meat on the environment. However, much of the literature has focussed on global North countries, limiting cross-cultural generalisability and overlooking the role of cultural differences in motivating food choices. The present paper provides a cross-cultural comparison of the motivations for meat consumption and vegetarianism in Brazil and the United Kingdom. This was done by conducting a total of 63 semi-structured interviews with meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans in Brazil (n = 41) and the UK (n = 22). The data was analysed thematically and the findings were compared across the participant samples. The findings showed that meat consumption was similarly motivated and justified in each country through the 4 N’s of justification for meat consumption. However, participants’ experiences of reducing meat consumption varied between the two countries, influenced by distinct motivations, aversions, and constraints. In the UK, price served as a motivation for choosing meatless meals, whereas in Brazil it acted as a constraint to reducing meat consumption. Additionally, in the UK, disgust was identified as a significant aversion particularly towards eating parts of meat that visibly resembled the animal of origin — a sentiment not observed in the Brazilian sample. Lastly, while environmental concerns were not a primary reason for adopting a plant-based diet in either country, they often became a significant motivator for maintaining it after dietary change

Meet your meat: Psychological factors impacting on attitudes towards animals, their consumption, and plant based alternatives

A way to address health and sustainability concerns with the current food systems is to shift away from current levels of consumption of animal-sourced products, especially meat, toward an increased intake of plant-based foods. The general aim of this work was to explore how to trigger such transitions through a set of four articles, focused on the ways people perceive: (1) animals as living beings, examining the impact of characteristics of the perceiver (e.g., gender, pet attachment) and of the target (e.g., biological category of the animals) on perceptions (e.g., edibility, moral concern); (2) animals as food products and how resemblance to the animal source impacts on appetite for meat, independently from the impact of product familiarity; (3) alternatives to meat consumption (e.g., legumes, tofu) and the impact of framing (i.e., meal vs. ingredient) as a strategy to promote more positive attitudes toward meat alternatives. Finally, the ending section of this work provides a reflection about the existent gaps in this literature, integrates the main findings of the present body of work, and outlines how they might inform audiences interested in promoting transitions toward reduced meat consumption and more sustainable, healthier, plant-based diets.Uma das formas de responder aos desafios de saúde e sustentabilidade com os sistemas alimentares atuais passa por reduzir o consumo de produtos de origem animal, particularmente de carne, para um aumento no consumo de alimentos de origem vegetal. O objetivo geral deste trabalho passou por explorar como desencadear estas transições através de um conjunto de quatro artigos, com foco na forma como as pessoas percecionam (1) os animais como seres vivos, examinando o impacto das características individuais (e.g., género, ter animais de estimação) e do alvo (e.g., categoria biológica) nestas perceções (e.g., comestibilidade, preocupação moral); (2) os animais enquanto produtos alimentares e como a semelhança desses produtos com os animais influencia o apetite por carne, independentemente do impacto da sua familiaridade; e (3) alternativas ao consumo de carne (e.g., legumes, tofu) e o impacto do enquadramento da refeição como estratégia para promover atitudes mais positivas em relação às alternativas à carne. Por fim, a seção final deste trabalho apresenta uma reflexão sobre as lacunas existentes nesta literatura, integra os resultados mais relevantes do presente corpo de trabalho e descreve como estes podem informar audiências interessadas na promoção de transições rumo à redução do consumo de carne e à adoção de dietas mais sustentáveis, saudáveis e mais baseadas em alimentos de origem vegetal

Consumers’ Concerns and Perceptions of Farm Animal Welfare

P. 1-13In this paper, we explore the evolution of consumers’ perceptions and concerns about the effects that intensification of production systems could have on the welfare of farm animals. Despite the differences in definitions of animal welfare that make perceptions about this complex subject extremely variable, there is a growing perception that farm animal welfare should be protected and improved. There is an increasing appreciation of animal welfare parameters over other quality attributes, and animal-friendly products are considered healthier, safer, tastier, more hygienic, authentic, environmentally friendly, and traditional by many consumers. The willingness to pay for the increases in price that higher levels of farm animal welfare could produce could be promoted by means of adequate information about management and housing conditions of the different farming species. Welfare-friendly products that are properly labeled with clear information provided by an internationally accepted, transparent, and traceable monitoring system will increase consumers’ confidence in the food chain participants. Both consumers and citizens have the opportunity to improve the welfare of millions of farmed animals now and in the future, consumers by assuming their responsibility at the buying point, purchasing welfare-friendly products, and citizens by driving legislation to achieve some minimum standard of welfare conditions that could meet animals’ needs.S