Environmental Beliefs and Concern about Animal Welfare: Exploring the Connections

Authors

Catherine A. Faver, University of Texas, Pan American

Keywords

Animal welfare, environmental beliefs, NEP Scale, social work education

Abstract

An online survey examined environmental beliefs and concern about animal welfare among 105 social work students in the U.S.- Mexico border region. Environmental beliefs were measured using items from the revised New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Scale (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig, & Jones, 2000). Higher concern about animal welfare was significantly related to three dimensions of the revised NEP Scale: (1) belief in the fragility of nature's balance, (2) belief in the possibility ofan ecological crisis, and (3) rejection of the notion that humans have a right to dominate nature (anti-anthropocentrism). The findings suggest that by making explicit connections between the needs of the natural environment, animals, and people, social work educators may foster a broader ecological worldview that encompasses the well-being of all species and ecosystems.

Recommended Citation

Faver, Catherine A. (2013) "Environmental Beliefs and Concern about Animal Welfare: Exploring the Connections," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 40: Iss. 4, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3765
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol40/iss4/9