Meat consumption and cognition: Why not reach us environmental information

Meat consumption and cognition: Why not reach us environmental information

The discussion about the environmental impact of meat consumption is becoming increasingly intense. A current study at the Vienna Neustadt University of Applied Sciences has now revealed that many consumers apparently apply unconscious strategies to justify their own meat meal. These strategies are related to a psychological phenomenon known as cognitive dissonance. This is the unpleasant feeling that the appearance is not in line with our actual action.

"The negative consequences of meat consumption for the environment have long been known," explains Tatjana Kwasny, a research assistant at the Institute for Marketing at the Vienna Neustadt University of Applied Sciences. "But even though consumers have this information, they find it difficult to change their behavior." The study shows that many people tend to relativize environmental impacts or ignore information about environmental damage in order to relieve themselves and to minimize the feeling of dissonance.

cognitive dissonance as a psychological phenomenon

Part of the research focuses on how people react to information about the negative environmental impact of meat. Previous studies mostly devoted themselves to the topic of animal suffering by determining that consumers reduce their meat consumption if they are confronted with non -appropriate animal husbandry. The new study by the FH Wiener Neustadt deepens this topic and looks at whether and how environmental information has a similar influence.

The first results of the research indicate that many consumers react with defense mechanisms when confronted with environmental information. They ignore or relativize the information. In doing so, they try to avoid the inner conflict between knowledge and action, which is an exciting knowledge.

"The dissolution of the unpleasant feeling of dissonance is a natural reaction of people in decision-making situations in which they are torn," says Sarah Marth, head of the master's program "Economic Consulting & Management" and research assistant at the Institute for Marketing. She emphasizes that research is aimed at finding out whether information about the negative environmental impact of meat consumption can cause effective changes in the behavior of humans. The results could provide crucial information on how educational campaigns should be designed in order to actually influence consumption behavior.

For many, the topic of meat consumption is combined with ethical and ecological considerations. The scientists hope that their work will help to raise awareness and to promote a more sustainable lifestyle that is less stressful for the environment. Further insights and details on this exciting study are available here .