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Public Attitudes toward Farm Animal Well-Being: The Significance of Religion and Political Affiliation

Deemer, Danielle R.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1253578015

Abstract Details

2009, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Rural Sociology.
Concern about the treatment of farm animals is of growing public debate in the mainstream media. Yet, few empirical analyses are available examining the social bases of farm animal concern. Social scientists have given ample consideration to the social correlates of public concern to related issues of human equity and other forms of animal use (such as animal testing). Meanwhile, a second debate in the literature questions the extent to which human compassion is finite, with opponents of animal welfare claiming that humans who are concerned about animals are less able to feel concern for humans. Using Bourdieu’s theory of social practice as a theoretical framework for this thesis, I identify religion and political affiliation as two fields of social interaction that have the potential to influence attitudes toward farm animals. Data for this thesis come from 2007 Survey of Food, Farming and the Environment: Focus on Farm Animal Welfare. A state-level sample of Ohioans (N=943) as well as a national-level sample (N=463) are included in the analysis. My analysis finds support for the relationship between religion and farm animal concern, with religiosity bearing a particularly robust relationship to farm animal attitudes. The analysis also finds political affiliation related to farm animal concern, with liberal affiliations and political values positively related to farm animal concern. Finally, I test the extent to which concern for animals and humans are related. Analysis reveals that human compassion is not mutually exclusive and that concern for animals and humans bear a strong, positive relationship to each other.
Linda Lobao, PhD (Advisor)
Jeff Sharp, PhD (Committee Member)
167 p.
Sociology
animal welfare; farm animal; religion; political affiliation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Deemer, D. R. (2009). Public Attitudes toward Farm Animal Well-Being: The Significance of Religion and Political Affiliation [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1253578015

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Deemer, Danielle. Public Attitudes toward Farm Animal Well-Being: The Significance of Religion and Political Affiliation. 2009. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1253578015.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Deemer, Danielle. "Public Attitudes toward Farm Animal Well-Being: The Significance of Religion and Political Affiliation." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1253578015

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1253578015
929
© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.