KNOW MORE: Psychological differences and similarities between vegans and vegetarians
The study reveals a significant effect differentiating vegans and vegetarians. This difference may be explained by the fact that learning about veganism and related topics is a key component in becoming vegan. Vegans know significantly more about animal issues than vegetarians, such as conditions in the animal industry, knowledge concerning diet and the environment. This lack of knowledge on the part of vegetarians may lead them to a sense of comfort and habit which seems to accompany their lifestyle choices. Increasing reliable information concerning appropriate topics (e.g., animal industry) is key in supporting a transition to become vegan.
ROLAND MAYRHOFER: Although vegan and vegetarian diets and lifestyles differ significantly from each other, among other things, notably in their respective consequences regarding animal welfare and their ecological impact, vegans and vegetarians are often grouped together and usually compared to omnivores in psychological research. Considering that vegans and vegetarians often share similar motives for their lifestyle choices, namely animal and environmental issues, the question arises why similar motives lead to different conclusions and correspondingly different behaviors, most notably, of course, that vegetarians consume animal-derived foods such as cheese or milk while vegans do not consume animal-derived products (e.g., food, cosmetic products)…
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether and how vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians differ on a psychological level to explain why a similar motivation, namely, the desire not to harm animals and to protect the environment, leads to different behaviors. The presented data suggest that, on the whole, vegans, vegetarians, and prospective vegans pursue similar goals and motivations regarding their lifestyle choices. However, seeing as there is a significant difference in knowledge between vegans and vegetarians, with prospective vegans located between these two groups, the existing differences in behavior may be attributed to differences in knowledge between these groups, therefore leading them to draw different conclusions regarding their eating behavior.
Regarding knowledge, the presented data clearly portray that groups differ: The most important finding shows that vegans have significantly more knowledge compared to vegetarians and prospective vegans on the effects of vegan and vegetarian diets on animal-related, environmental, and health issues… Fittingly, vegans spend more time acquiring information about diet and animal-related issues compared to the other groups and also more frequently rely on reputable sources, such as scientific studies. This difference may be explained by the fact that learning about veganism and related topics is a key component in becoming vegan…
When exploring why vegetarians choose to stay vegetarian—taste once again plays an important role, most prominently so with regard to cheese. Approximately half of the vegetarians cannot imagine abstaining from animal products due to their taste. This is consistent with findings that one of the main reasons for a vegetarian diet is taste. However, cheese seems to be a rather unique case where knowledge plays a crucial role. The present analysis clearly shows a gap in knowledge regarding the question of whether or not cheese is vegetarian. Therefore, vegans appear to be more literate when it comes to factual knowledge concerning animal welfare, environmental issues, and veganism, thus basing their dietary choices on this knowledge. This matches the research stating that acquiring knowledge is an indispensable part of transitioning to a vegan lifestyle…
Health is also addressed in the present study: The finding that health is less important to vegetarians than to vegans and prospective vegans may also be interpreted in the context of knowledge: As knowledge and information seeking are central factors in becoming vegan, an in-depth engagement with information on veganism and how veganism affects health may increase peoples’ general health awareness. This train of thought would also match the position of prospective vegans between vegans and vegetarians.
Sustainability and ecological reasons are most important for prospective vegans, which could highlight why this group intends to become vegan in the future, having learned that a vegan lifestyle has the smallest ecological footprint. Once they have acquired more information about a vegan lifestyle, they will, as implied by the work of McDonald , become vegan.
Animal rights and animal welfare are most important to vegans compared to the other groups, which could explain why vegetarians did not express the aim to become vegan. Exploring the question of why prospective vegans have not taken the final step of becoming vegan, the present data suggest that this also could be linked to knowledge, implying that prospective vegans may have carried out less extensive research on the conditions in the animal industry, resulting in less knowledge about these conditions.
The presented data also show that vegans have more knowledge and acquire more information from scientific studies compared to the other groups. Appropriately, prospective vegans—assuming that they had already engaged with the subject matter while considering transitioning to a vegan lifestyle—named animal rights and welfare as one of the crucial reasons for intending to become vegan in the future. However, the data illustrate that all three groups are motivated in their lifestyle choices by wanting to protect animals. On the other hand, the data reveal a significant effect differentiating vegans and non-vegans regarding animal rights and welfare…
Overall, the presented data show a consistent pattern, indicating that vegans know significantly more about animal issues, such as the conditions in the animal industry. In addition, they have more overall factual knowledge concerning diet, therefore emphasizing the importance of vegan literacy in the question of whether to become vegan or remain vegetarian. Considering that many people express the desire to choose a lifestyle which harms animals and the environment as little as possible, increased availability of reliable information concerning appropriate topics (animal industry, diet, environmental and sustainability issues, etc.) — i.e., higher vegan literacy — is likely to support such a transition. In addition, this lack of knowledge on the part of vegetarians may also lead to vegetarians’ sense of comfort and habit which seems to accompany their dietary choices. SOURCE…
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