1,720,978 research outputs found
The effect of species on perceptions of animals: predictors and causes of pet speciesism
No full textWhat was Investigated and WhyDogs and pigs share multiple traits, yet dogs are typically companions whilst pigs are food, a phenomenon termed pet speciesism. Pet speciesism can harm animal welfare due to meat consumption and associated climate change. Whilst previous research evidences pet speciesism, research has yet to identify why pet speciesism occurs. This thesis therefore explores possible causes drawn from previous literature, so future interventions can reduce or prevent pet speciesism: behavioural self-relevance, subjective self-relevance, familiarity, similarity to humans, pet status, and profit status.How the Topic was InvestigatedPet speciesism is operationalised here across six psychological dimensions from the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) and Behaviours from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes (BIAS) map: Warmth, competence, active help, active harm, passive help, and passive harm. I explored the above possible causes through six studies: Firstly, a regression identifying which variables were significantly associated with pet speciesism, followed by five experiments manipulating potential causes of pet speciesism.What was FoundBehavioural self-relevance, subjective self-relevance, familiarity, similarity, and pet status were significant regressors. The causal experiments found that: Neither behavioural nor subjective self-relevance caused pet speciesism. Conversely, similarity significantly caused pet speciesism in most SCM/BIAS map dimensions. Familiarity could not be effectively manipulated. Finally, pet status may significantly cause pet speciesism, but only in limited SCM/BIAS map dimensions.What Conclusions were DrawnThis thesis concludes that similarity causes pet speciesism in most SCM/BIAS map dimensions, whereas pet status may cause pet speciesism only in limited SCM/BIAS map dimensions. The thesis also highlights unexpected null effects of behavioural and subjective self-relevance and failed familiarity manipulations. Overall, this thesis uniquely tests extrinsic causes of pet speciesism, with extensive theoretical (demonstrating limitations of previous literature) and practical (informing interventions) implications. The research may inform interventions which decrease pet speciesism and reduce meat consumption.</p
The effect of species on perceptions of animals: predictors and causes of pet speciesism
No full textWhat was Investigated and WhyDogs and pigs share multiple traits, yet dogs are typically companions whilst pigs are food, a phenomenon termed pet speciesism. Pet speciesism can harm animal welfare due to meat consumption and associated climate change. Whilst previous research evidences pet speciesism, research has yet to identify why pet speciesism occurs. This thesis therefore explores possible causes drawn from previous literature, so future interventions can reduce or prevent pet speciesism: behavioural self-relevance, subjective self-relevance, familiarity, similarity to humans, pet status, and profit status.How the Topic was InvestigatedPet speciesism is operationalised here across six psychological dimensions from the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) and Behaviours from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes (BIAS) map: Warmth, competence, active help, active harm, passive help, and passive harm. I explored the above possible causes through six studies: Firstly, a regression identifying which variables were significantly associated with pet speciesism, followed by five experiments manipulating potential causes of pet speciesism.What was FoundBehavioural self-relevance, subjective self-relevance, familiarity, similarity, and pet status were significant regressors. The causal experiments found that: Neither behavioural nor subjective self-relevance caused pet speciesism. Conversely, similarity significantly caused pet speciesism in most SCM/BIAS map dimensions. Familiarity could not be effectively manipulated. Finally, pet status may significantly cause pet speciesism, but only in limited SCM/BIAS map dimensions.What Conclusions were DrawnThis thesis concludes that similarity causes pet speciesism in most SCM/BIAS map dimensions, whereas pet status may cause pet speciesism only in limited SCM/BIAS map dimensions. The thesis also highlights unexpected null effects of behavioural and subjective self-relevance and failed familiarity manipulations. Overall, this thesis uniquely tests extrinsic causes of pet speciesism, with extensive theoretical (demonstrating limitations of previous literature) and practical (informing interventions) implications. The research may inform interventions which decrease pet speciesism and reduce meat consumption.</p
Why factual appeals about the abilities of sheep may fail
Full text linkMarino & Merskin (2019) express hope that providing people with positive information about the abilities of sheep (factual appeals) will improve perceptions of them and thus improve their welfare. However, these factual appeals can, and do, fail to change perceptions of animals. This commentary considers why and when factual appeals fail, and with whom they may be effective
Cultivating a non-anthropocentric worldview in aid of the environment and animal welfare: Possible psychological interventions
No full textTreves, Santiago-Avila, and Lynn (2019) argue for adopting a non-anthropocentric worldview to prevent further environmental damage and lack of consideration for animals. We discuss psychological interventions that might help achieve this
Exploring the ‘pet effect’: Does playing with pets contribute to owner wellbeing?
No full textAlthough many people strongly believe in wellbeing benefits of having pets (the ‘pet effect’), research on the ‘pet effect’ in actuality is highly mixed. Surprisingly, little research has explored the nature of (i.e., specific components of) the human–pet relationship, as a way to explain the contradictory findings. One such component is human–pet play, with play outside of the human–pet relationship being important for wellbeing and social buffering. Thus, the current quantitative study explores whether greater perceived play with pets contributes to greater wellbeing (‘pet effect’) and reduces anxiety during a time of acute stress (social buffering). The study employs a regression design recruiting men and women residing in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic who own a dog and/or cat, with perceived pet play as the key predictor variable, and outcome variables of wellbeing and COVID-19 anxiety. Data were gathered and analysed cross-sectionally on day one (N = 189), and longitudinally over five days (N = 105), using multiple regressions. Overall, perceived pet play did not predict wellbeing nor COVID-19 anxiety. As such, the current study indicates human–pet play does not contribute to the ‘pet effect’ nor social buffering, thus raising questions for future research regarding the exact purpose of play within the human–pet relationship. </p
Cultivating change: persuasive counter-messaging strategies to foster consumer acceptance of cultured meat
No full textPurposeConventional meat is linked to environmental and animal welfare-related concerns. Cultured meat, produced in the laboratory from animal cells, has been suggested as an alternative that could overcome these negative consequences of conventional meat, as it can incur fewer environmental impacts and avoid unnecessary animal suffering. Despite these prospective advantages, cultured meat acceptance varies substantially. In this study, we examined whether counter-messages emphasizing environmental damage, animal welfare impacts and unnatural aspects of conventional meat affect cultured meat acceptance compared to conventional meat.Design/methodology/approachThe current study employs a quantitative approach, with participants reading one counter-message (environmental, animal welfare, unnaturalness or control). The study follows a 2 (meat type: cultured vs conventional; within-subjects) × 4(essay condition: environmental, animal welfare, unnaturalness, control; between-subjects) mixed MANOVA design, with anticipated eating enjoyment and purchase intent as dependent variables.FindingsCounter-messages highlighting unnaturalness and negative animal welfare impacts of conventional meat increased cultured meat acceptance. However, counter-messages did not reduce conventional meat acceptance.Originality/valueThe current study uniquely indicates that counter-messages highlighting unnaturalness and negative animal welfare impacts of conventional meat enhance cultured meat acceptance, suggesting marketers of cultured meat should focus on unnaturalness and animal welfare, rather than environmental impacts, of conventional meat to promote cultured meat.</p
Inhuman animals: moving dehumanization into the domain of human–animal relations
No full textDehumanization researchers have robustly shown that people display remarkable variability in attributing humanity to others and outgroups, often with negative consequences for the dehumanized. We argue that a similar process operates at an interspecies level; people attribute less mind and humanity to animals, often with negative consequences for animals' moral standing and treatment. We outline recent work demonstrating that people attribute farmed animals less mind and do so in a motivated fashion. Further, we examine evidence that this denial of mind undermines moral concern for farmed animals. Finally, we explore some of the avenues for improving both mind attribution and moral concern toward farmed animals. We conclude that while researchers have robustly demonstrated that a process similar to intergroup dehumanization occurs when omnivores think about farmed animals, we need more research to understand how this can be counteracted
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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