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World Vegan Month is wrapping up...

What have we learned?

Dear colleagues,
As we wrap up World Vegan Month 2018, I have five more juicy bits of social psychology to sharpen your vegan toolkit (see below).

These scientific theories remind us that our "common sense" about persuasion is often misleading. Sometimes, jarring and highly vivid imagery can repel, for instance. This suggests to me that activists should chill on the super graphic videos from slaughterhouses or overly bright and busy posters and websites.

Positive portrayals of animals in films, on the other hand, can encourage empathy. Nurturing this identification with other animals is extremely important--we have to break down false divides between "human" and "animal." 

Be careful, though. The illusion of transparency can lead us to assume that the inner lives of animals are immediately obvious to human audiences. However, people are more likely to empathize if we are more explicit in our activism. Don't just rely on pictures and movies to tell the story--you have to do some priming and explanation.

We also have to pay attention to the context of our activism. If folks have been primed to be receptive to pro-social attitudes about animals, they're more open to a vegan argument. If they've been primed to appreciate human supremacy, vegans are at a disadvantage. 

The point is, these requirements for successful persuasion are all malleable. We don't have to rely on luck and circumstance, we can manifest change with smart strategizing. When the elements needed for persuasion are not in our control, we can simply reinvest our efforts into campaigns that are in a better position to succeed. 

We've learned a heck of a lot this past month. I know it is a lot to take on board, but if we can commit to slowly but surely incorporating the power of social psychology, we can maximize our effectiveness for other animals.

As always, my research is free to download and reference on my website. If you enjoyed this series, I also recommend my book, A Rational Approach to Animal Rights, which expands on the mechanics of evidence-based strategies.

There is no mysterious secret to getting folks to care about other animals. We have the science already--it's just a matter of applying it.

Before we invest precious time, money, and energy on a particular tactic or campaign, we have to ask: is this evidenced to actually work? 

SHOW ME THE RESEARCH!

Thanks for reading, folks. I will be in touch in a few months with some updates on my ongoing research that you may find interesting.

Until then,
Keep it critical, ya'll.

- Dr. Wrenn

Cognitive Priming


The priming effect acts as a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. Persons primed to enter a mindset of positivity or negativity will experience an event or information respectively. Learn how vegans can use priming effectively...

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The Illusion of Transparency


We tend to think our inner feelings are more visible to others than they really are. Activists, too, wrongly assume that the inner states of Nonhuman Animals are blatant to audiences. By actively encouraging identification and prosocial responses, activists may be more successful than by simply relying on the process of bearing witness to motivate behavior change.

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Media Influencing


Can movies like Babe or Charlotte's Web which spotlight animal joy increase prosocial attitudes about other animals? Yes! These films can be just as effective, if not more effective, than depictions of animals suffering.

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Vividness Doesn't Persuade


Vegans frequently work to create extremely vivid experiences for audiences when campaigning. However, this can actually become distracting. See some tips on how to tailor campaigns so as not to overwhelm...

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Identification Leads to Empathy


When we imagine someone else suffering, the same area of our brain is activated as is when we imagine our own self suffering. Emphasizing the experiences and desires shared between humans and other animals can tap into this powerful psychological mechanism.

Read More >>
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Corey Lee Wrenn, PhD · Cobden Place · Canterbury, Kent CT1 2DU · United Kingdom

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