Understanding African Americans’ Attitudes toward Nonhuman Animals: Historical and Psychological Perspectives

What is it about?

Historical and current literature is reviewed and social psychological theory is applied to support novel theories about African Americans’ attitudes toward nonhuman animals. Due to psychological reactions stemming from their brutal U.S. history, involving shared suffering with animals, African Americans are theorized to have either negative or positive beliefs about animals. Two studies revealed the latter: that African Americans have positive attitudes toward animals overall, as measured by a new, statistically reliable Attitudes toward Animals Scale.

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Photo by Maksym Kaharlytskyi on Unsplash

Photo by Maksym Kaharlytskyi on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The results and unique theoretical framework pave the way for future research on this important issue.