Drawing the Line: The Reconciliation of Conflicting Behaviors Toward Other Animals

Date of Award

3-2019

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D.

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Laura Meyer

Second Advisor

Judy Fox

Third Advisor

Sarah Bexell

Keywords

Moral disengagement, Animals, Cognitive dissonance, Animal-related behaviors

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore the cognitive and emotional experiences of individuals seeking to reconcile conflicting behaviors toward animals (e.g., a vegetarian who continues to buy leather products). Research questions were : 1) Do individuals with conflicting behaviors toward animals experience internal conflicts? 2) How do they resolve those conflicts? and 3) What factors might motivate them to change their behaviors? While previous work has focused on internal processes used in behavioral decision-making toward animals, research has failed to address how individuals resolve apparent inconsistency within their own set of behaviors (i.e., behaviors that are contradictory). The present qualitative study used a semi-structured interview format in which participants explored their current behaviors and how they resolved inconsistencies between them. Interviews were analyzed using Content Analysis by first deductively identifying themes related to Factors for Change, Moral Engagement, and Emotional Experience. Results from the present study suggests that Moral Disengagement strategies are used to distance individuals from behaviors they consider immoral and that there are several factors for change that can be considered to inform the human use of other animals.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

Extent

47 pgs.

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