Attitudes Toward Animal Suffering: An Exploratory Study

Authors

John Braithwaite, Australian Institute of Criminology
Valerie Braithwaite, Australian National University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1982

Abstract

A total of 302 undergraduates in the social sciences and the humanities, at two Australian universities, were given a questionnaire designed to explore public attitudes toward animal suffering. The results, though preliminary, strongly suggest that attitudes may be in great part supportive of animal welfare and animal rights. However, as reflected in the answers to the questionnaire, actual behavior does not always follow suit. The recommendation is made that the animal welfare/animal rights movement should perhaps place more emphasis on raising people's awareness of the inconsistencies between their attitudes toward animals and their behavior concerning them.

Recommended Citation

Braithwaite, J., & Braithwaite, V. (1982). Attitudes toward animal suffering: An exploratory study. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 3(1), 42-49.