Quantifying Attitudes and Narratives About Other Animals (Aninof 29 Think Tank)

This report contains a "Summary of findings" section, which has been reproduced exactly as requested.

Summary of findings

Introduction

This research aims to understand the dominant cultural narratives in the UK that perpetuate speciesism and identify those narratives that are most helpful in fostering attitudes supportive of animal freedom. By analysing these narratives, we seek to develop effective strategies to challenge harmful beliefs and amplify narratives that promote empathy and respect for other animals.

Method

The study surveyed 500 UK residents, representative of the population in terms of sex, age, and ethnicity. Participants responded to 106 statements about their attitudes towards other animals, with responses analysed using factor analysis to identify key narrative dimensions.

Results

1. Seven key narrative dimensions emerged:
   a. Justifications for Meat Eating (70% of population): Encompasses beliefs about the necessity and naturalness of consuming meat.
   b. Animal Abilities and sentience (92%): Recognises animals' cognitive and emotional capacities and supports their rights.
   c. Anthropocentrism (50%): Views humans as superior and entitled to use animals.
   d. Welfarism (86%): Supports humane treatment and welfare regulations for animals.
   e. Ethical Lifestyle (71%): Endorses veganism or vegetarianism as ethical choices.
   f. Economic Justifications (87%): Highlights the perceived economic importance of animal farming.
   g. Meat is Manly (19%): Associates meat consumption with masculinity and strength.

2. High moral standards for animal treatment: A significant majority (89.31%) believe it is morally wrong to harm animals, and 84.55% think animals deserve to live free from suffering. However, there is a notable disconnect between these views and the acceptance of eating meat, suggesting a potential underestimation of the harm caused by animal farming.

3. Perceptions of consent: While many respondents (88.51%) acknowledge that animals cannot consent to their use, there is inconsistency in how this belief is applied. For instance, fewer people oppose breeding animals for pets or farming despite recognising the issue of consent.

4. Perceptions of ownership: The survey reveals contradictions regarding animal ownership. While 62.38% support the right to own animals, only 33.07% agree with treating animals as property, indicating incomplete understanding of the implications of animal ownership.

5. Ethics of farming animals: There is a significant disconnect between public attitudes and ethical considerations regarding animal farming. Although 92.67% view eating meat as a personal choice, only 24.95% believe it doesn't harm anyone. Additionally, there is substantial opposition to industrial farming methods, with only 22.97% finding them acceptable.