【公开学术报告】Perceived Income Inequality and Animal-Friendly Consumption

Perceived Income Inequality and Animal-Friendly Consumption

Guest Speaker:    Dr. Danny J. M. Kim (University at Buffalo)

Date & Time:       9:30-11:00, Thur. 25th, Nov. 2021

Zoom Meeting:   81853036041（Password: 104104）

Click Link:           https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86073551424

ABSTRACT

The extensive consumption of animals in the marketplace has influenced industries to launch products that involve less harm to animals (i.e., animal-friendly products), which leads to an inquiry into the factors that can influence consumer preference for such products. This research demonstrates that the perception of high income inequality reduces consumer preference for animal-friendly products. Accounting for this effect is social dominance orientation, which legitimizes unequal distribution of income and unequal standing of consumers in the social hierarchy, further justifying the consumption of animals that are seem less than humans. This research shows how inequality in one domain of human-human relations can permeate into wider society, bringing with it moral indifference towards animals that cannot fend for themselves.

Keywords: animal-friendly consumption, income inequality, social dominance orientation, hierarchy