How Giving Animals Names Can Change Children’s Views on Eating Meat

Assigning names and individual qualities to farm animals could significantly influence how children perceive them, potentially altering their attitudes toward consuming meat. Research from SWPS University suggests that when children anthropomorphize animals by giving them names and specific traits, they are more likely to see these animals as unique individuals rather than mere sources of food.

In children’s media and stories, animals like Peppa Pig are portrayed with distinct personalities and preferences, fostering a connection that extends beyond their role as food. Dr. Aleksandra Rabinovitch of SWPS University explains that young children, unaware of the origin of meat, often view animals in terms of companionship rather than consumption.

A study involving 208 preschoolers aged 5–6 explored this concept by presenting children with images of pigs and chickens, some accompanied by personalized descriptions. For instance, one group saw a pig named Lelka, described with unique habits and preferences, while another group received generic descriptions. The results were striking: children who saw personalized descriptions were more likely to perceive the animals as unique and were less inclined to consider them as food.

Similar findings emerged with chickens, where children who attributed human-like traits and names to them were more reluctant to consume chicken-based dishes compared to those who viewed chickens in general terms.

These findings highlight the potential of personalization in altering children’s attitudes toward eating meat. By associating animals with individual identities, children develop a stronger empathy towards them, which may influence their dietary choices as they grow older.

Latest Petitions to Sign:

• Petition: Help Protect Arctic Wildlands and Wildlife from Big Oil
• Petition: Help Eliminate Microplastics from Our Water Supply
• Petition: Justice for Puppy Who Was Thrown Off Ledge in New York City
• Petition: Tell the Scottish Government to Stop Tourists from Feeding Wildlife
• Petition: Help Protect Animals Sold at Bangkok’s Markets
• Petition: Help Protect Ancient Dolphin Population Off the Coast of Italy
• Petition: Demand Justice for Dogs Who Were Abandoned Inside a Hot Trailer
• Petition: Help Ban Assault Weapons and Large-Capacity Magazines
• Petition: Help Address the Shelter Crisis in Massachusetts
• Petition: Tell Mexico to Save the Vaquita Porpoise from Extinction

Related Content:

• 5 Health Risks of Consuming Meat (Even if It’s Organic)
• Younger Generations Actually Consuming More Meat, Per Recent Study
• How to Feed Vegan Kids
• What Healthy Vegan Kids Eat
• Younger Generations Lead in Plant-Based Diet Adoption as Baby Boomers Trail

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!