Changing Animal and Environmental Attitudes with Evidence of Animal Minds

Abstract

An awareness of the mental lives of nonhuman animals may raise ethical concern for them and, as a consequence, for their natural habitats. This was explored in a recent study at a Midwestern university. Students attended either an animal-focused or a human-focused introductory psychology course. Students in the animal-focused course reported an increase in proanimal attitudes after the course, whereas, the attitudes of their human-focused cohorts actually decreased. Additionally, students in the animal-focused course reported an increase in concern for animals' natural habitats. Comparative psychology may be a powerful component of a complete environmental education curriculum.