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The Effect of Narratives on Attitudes Toward Animal Welfare and Pro-Social Behaviour on Behalf of Animals: Three Pre-Registered Experiments

Petterson, Aino, Currie, Greg, Friend, Stacie, Ferguson, Heather J. (2022) The Effect of Narratives on Attitudes Toward Animal Welfare and Pro-Social Behaviour on Behalf of Animals: Three Pre-Registered Experiments. Poetics, 94 . Article Number 101709. ISSN 0304-422X. (doi:10.1016/j.poetic.2022.101709) (KAR id:96937)

Abstract

We report three randomised and pre-registered experiments examining the effects of narrative fiction (vs. narrative non-fiction vs. expository non-fiction) on concern for animal welfare. In Experiment 1a (N = 363) there was no significant increase in concern for animal welfare or willingness to donate to an animal charity among participants who read a narrative fiction text about a monkey’s plight (vs. narrative non-fiction or expository non-fiction texts about a monkey). In Experiment 1b (N = 121) concern for animal welfare and willingness to donate was greater after reading the narrative fiction text compared to a narrative non-fiction text unrelated to animals. Experiment 2 (N = 184) employed a simplified design and more severe depiction of animal abuse, but showed no beneficial effect of reading a narrative fiction text about a monkey’s plight (vs. a narrative non-fiction text unrelated to animals) on either measure. Experiment 3 (N = 290) compared a narrative fiction and a non-fiction text about a monkey or a lizard; participants who read a narrative fiction text, irrespective of the animal depicted, reported greater concern for animal welfare, monkey welfare, lizard welfare and nature (vs. a narrative non-fiction text). However, participants were no more willing to donate in the narrative fiction (vs. non-fiction) condition. These results suggest that reading a narrative fiction text about an animal’s plight has a limited effect on concern for animal welfare.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.poetic.2022.101709
Uncontrolled keywords: narratives, reading, literary fiction, animal welfare, prosocial behaviour
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Funders: Leverhulme Trust (https://ror.org/012mzw131)
Depositing User: Heather Ferguson
Date Deposited: 15 Sep 2022 07:15 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 15:23 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/96937 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Ferguson, Heather J..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1575-4820
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