Psychological differences and similarities between vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians. Motivation, knowledge, vegan literacy – and cheese

Despite their obvious distinctions—most notably in terms of animal welfare and ecological impact—vegan and vegetarian diets and lifestyles are frequently combined in psychological studies. Despite sharing motives related to animal and environmental concerns, vegans and vegetarians exhibit different behaviors, with vegetarians consuming animal-derived foods like cheese or milk while vegans avoid all animal products. This study by Mayrhofer et al. (2024) aimed to investigate the psychological distinctions between vegans, vegetarians, and would-be vegans—the latter group serving as a transitional category. Motivational, affective, and cognitive aspects of dietary transition, adherence to eating patterns, reasons for these patterns, obstacles to becoming vegan, the influence of social environments, and misconceptions about the feasibility of a vegan lifestyle were investigated. An observational study using an online questionnaire was conducted, involving 1420 participants. Significant differences were observed among vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians, particularly in their knowledge of lifestyle-related issues. The role of knowledge is highlighted in explaining the divergent behaviors of vegans and vegetarians despite similar motivations, leading to the introduction of the concept of “vegan literacy.” Furthermore, the distinct role of cheese is explored, considering its potentially addictive nature and its significance as a barrier to adopting a vegan diet. [NPID: Vegan, vegetarian, prospective vegans, psychological differences, dietary transition, cheese]

Year: 2024

Reference: Mayrhofer, R., Roberts, L. M., Hackl, J. M., & Frischholz, K. (2024). Psychological differences and similarities between vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians. Motivation, knowledge, vegan literacy – and cheese. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1163869

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