Children’s Moral Reasoning About Animals: Implications for Development and Education

Abstract

Human interaction with other animal species is morally complex. Some animals are beloved pets who are considered members of the family. Other animals are food and clothing products for human consumption. Still other animals are viewed as pests to be eradicated or by contrast, as fascinating even mythologized characters. Thus, moral reasoning about human involvement with animals is inherently complex as well. Yet, theory and research on children’s moral reasoning has been anthropocentric, focused solely on relations among humans. A review of moral reasoning about human-animal interaction reveals how children are reasoning about moral rights and demands across, not just within, species. This broader, biocentric perspective calls attention to a morality of care. Integration of moral reasoning in educational contexts involving animals is urged.