ORCID ID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8658-9893
Date Awarded
Summer 2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Psychology
Advisor
Adrian J Bravo
Committee Member
Catherine A Forestell
Committee Member
Paul D Kieffaber
Abstract
High levels of meat production/consumption negatively impact physical health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare. As a result, documentaries focused on increasing knowledge of these negative consequences have emerged in popular media. Given this information, the present study examined and compared the effects of these video appeals on intentions to reduce meat consumption and ‘wanting’ of meat. In the analytic sample, most participants identified as White non-Hispanic (n = 237; 58.8%), with a smaller proportion identifying as Asian American or Asian (n =101; 24.9%), as Black or African American (n = 54; 13.3%), as Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin (9.4%), as American Indian or Alaska Native (n = 6; 1.5%), as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (n = 2; 0.5%), or as identifying with a racial or ethnic identity not listed (n = 10; 2.5%). A majority of participants identified as female (61.5%) and the reported mean age of the analytic sample was 18.95 (Median = 19.00; SD = 0.96).Participants completed baseline questionnaires before being randomly assigned to one of four conditions where they watched either a 10 minute video on the negative impact of meat consumption (three experimental conditions with separate appeals; animal welfare, environmental, health) or a control video. Afterwards, intentions to reduce meat consumption and levels of implicit/explicit ‘wanting’ were assessed. Results indicated that watching any of the three experimental videos led to increased intentions to reduce meat consumption and decreased implicit, but not explicit, ‘wanting’ of meat compared to the control condition. These effects were mediated by participants’ post intervention levels of moral emotions (i.e., shame, guilt, being upset) for those in the animal welfare and environmental conditions, such that being in those conditions led to higher levels of moral emotions, which in turn led to lower implicit/explicit ‘wanting’ as well as higher intentions to reduce meat intake. Further, moderation and moderated mediation effects were explored. These results suggest video interventions may be an effective and low-cost tool for lowering intentions to consume meat as well as for shifting motivations to consume meat.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.21220/s2-akhh-k327
Rights
© The Author
Recommended Citation
Herchenroeder, Luke, "The Effectiveness Of Health, Environmental, And Animal Welfare-Focused Video Appeals On Implicit And Explicit 'Wanting' Of Meat And Intentions To Reduce Meat Consumption" (2021). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. William & Mary. Paper 1627047815.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21220/s2-akhh-k327
