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The Psychology of Human-Animal Intergroup Relations

Module description

Humans have a unique relationship with animals. Some of them (e.g., dogs) we love as family members. Others (e.g., pigs) are used as objects for food. How is it possible that we treat these animals so differently? In this module we will study the contemporary psychology of how humans can love some animals and eat others. We will study perspectives from moral philosophy, social psychology, and developmental psychology to understand how across the lifespan we form hierarchies, develop prejudices, and overcome our meat-related cognitive dissonance. The content will be presented in interactive lectures, student presentations, and discussions of research papers. 

Module aims - intentions of the module

In this module, we will take a broad approach to different facets of helping behaviour. Our aim will be to discover the fundamental processes that explain how humans can love some animals and eat others. With that, the module will allow you to study a basic question about human nature.
Through attending the seminar sessions and studying the provided course materials, you will gain specific knowledge in:

• Understanding the meat paradox
• Stereotypes about animals
• Stereotypes about vegans and vegetarians
• Meat-related cognitive dissonance
• The development of these processes across the lifespan
• How prejudices towards animals relate to other human prejudices

You will also more broadly develop your abilities to:

• Think rationally and develop reasoned arguments
• Approach and solve problems in a rigorous and systematic way
• Develop your own ideas with confidence
• Develop interdisciplinary skills (learn how other disciplines like philosophy can inform social psychology, and vice versa)
• Manage structure (identifying key demands of the task, setting clearly defined goals, responding appropriately to priorities)
• Develop time management skills

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Understand, describe, and critically evaluate the contemporary theories that can explain why humans love some animals and treat others as objects
• 2. Understand, describe, and critically evaluate evidence for the psychological mechanisms that can help explain humans’ treatment of animals as moral entities

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Review and critically evaluate research and identify the strengths and weaknesses of this work and structure of this literature to present logical, coherent and sustained arguments to support conclusions at an advanced level
• 4. Understand and apply essential principles in designing novel research, critically evaluate and analyse empirical evidence and assess the reliability of empirical evidence using a range of defined techniques at an advanced level

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Select and manage information, and undertake competently study tasks with minimum guidance to meet the deadlines of the course
• 6. Work effectively as part of a group to deliver on in-class presentation

Syllabus plan

Topics covered in this module will include some of the following:

• Speciesism; forming hierarchies of concern based on species membership
• The Meat Paradox & Meat Related Cognitive Dissonance
• The link between speciesism and human prejudices
• Animalising and dehumanising human out-groups
• Stereotypes about animals
• Attitudes towards meat reducers
• The developmental origins of speciesism and the meat paradox

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Two assessments are required for this module. Where you have been referred/deferred in the examination you will have the opportunity to take a second examination in the August/September re-assessment period. Where you have been referred/deferred in the video presentation you will be required to resubmit a second video presentation on a new topic. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%; deferred marks are not capped.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Dhont, K., & Hodson, G. (Eds.). (2019). Why We Love and Exploit Animals: Bridging Insights from Academia and Advocacy (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351181440

Loughnan, S., Bastian, B., & Haslam, N. (2014). The Psychology of Eating Animals. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(2), 104-108. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721414525781

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE – https://ele.exeter.ac.uk/

Key words search

Psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, moral psychology, human-animal intergroup relations