Perceptions of animal welfare by children in primary school

• Main Authors: António Almeida, Clara Vasconcelos, Joana Torres
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul 2013-12-01
• Series: Investigações em Ensino de Ciências
• Subjects: child-animal relationship; anthropocentrism; biocentrism; ecocentrism
• Online Access: http://www.if.ufrgs.br/ienci/artigos/Artigo_ID325/v18_n1_a2013.pdf

This study aims to identify children’s perceptions of the welfare of animals. The study sample consisted of 123 children aged 8 to 10, attending primary schools, who were interviewed. The questions were designed so as to generate both anthropocentric (centred on the interests of the human being) and/or biocentric (centred on the interests of other beings) arguments. Results showed a high incidence of biocentric arguments, associated with a contact with animals in places where nature is managed (zoos and other thematic places with animals), thus contradicting the idea that children have an exclusive utilitarian view of animals. Some of them even seem to understand the ecological role of animals, and produce reasons of an ecocentric character.