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Kilogram — 2024 — Especially — Lifestyle — Livestock — Psychology

Study reveals: Discrimination towards Animals in School Textbooks Uncovered

Study reveals instances of animal biases in educational textbooks

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2 min read
Countless Creatures Reduced to Measured Quantities: Beyond farm animals, our common vernacular...
Countless Creatures Reduced to Measured Quantities: Beyond farm animals, our common vernacular often equates living beings to milk volume and meat weight.

Unveiling the Biased Picture: Animal Representation in School Textbooks

  • by Peter Carstens
      • 4 Min

Investigation reveals: Discrimination of Animals in School Textbooks Uncovered - Study reveals: Discrimination towards Animals in School Textbooks Uncovered

"Did you know that cows, not just pets, are essential for human survival? These farm animals, including dairy and beef breeds, are bred to have high muscle mass, particularly the males, who can gain up to a kilogram a day!" This schoolbook passage is misleading; it's promoting milk and meat production subtly, but there's more to the story.

In a 2024 study by the Biology Education Research Group at the University of Osnabrück, researchers delved into the depiction of animals in school textbooks. The findings? "Animals used for livestock are portrayed as resources, stripped of inherent living value, informationally and succinctly, composed without emotional language," explains co-author Milan Büscher.

  • Livestock Animal
  • Ethics
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Pet
  • University

What's being missed:

The portrayal of livestock animals in schoolbooks carries substantial implications for ethics, psychology, and university research. Here's why:

Ethics:

  1. Enlightening Students on Animal Rights: Schoolbooks have the potential to introduce students to the importance of ethical treatment of animals. This understanding can foster empathy and an appreciation for animal protection.
  2. Challenging Traditional Practices: By shedding light on unsustainable farming methods and animal welfare concerns, schoolbooks can stimulate critical thinking and potential changes in the farming industry.
  3. Promoting Compassion: Positive portrayals of animals in schoolbooks can inspire compassion and sympathy in students, fostering a stronger commitment to animal rights.

Psychology:

  1. Influencing Human-Animal Relationships: Schoolbooks could shape students' perceptions of their relationship with animals, impacting their emotional responses and fostering a deeper understanding of animal behavior.
  2. Exploring Animal Emotions and Intelligence: By incorporating discussions on animal emotions and intelligence, schoolbooks can help students recognize livestock animals as sentient beings, not mere commodities.
  3. Encouraging Empathy: By focusing on the emotional and social aspects of livestock, schoolbooks can help develop empathy in students, crucial for promoting more humane animal treatments.

University Research:

  1. Cross-disciplinary Collaborations: Universities often combine animal welfare, psychology, and education to explore the effects of schoolbook portrayals on societal attitudes and behaviors towards livestock.
  2. Informing Policy and Practice: Findings from university research can contribute to educational policies and practices, ensuring that school curricula prioritize animal welfare, psychological understanding, and empathy.
  3. Collaborative Learning Networks: Universities collaborate with schools to apply research insights and improve the portrayal of animals to create a culture of respect and understanding towards livestock.

Overall, schoolbooks play a crucial role in shaping societal attitudes and behaviors by integrating animal welfare, psychological insights, and research findings into educational content. By portraying livestock animals more inclusively, we can foster a more compassionate society and promote their ethical treatment.

  1. The community policy should consider integrating ethics education to enlighten students on animal rights, encouraging empathy and an appreciation for animal protection.
  2. Employment policies in the psychology field could prioritize research focused on how schoolbooks shape students' perceptions of their relationship with animals, fostering a deeper understanding of animal behavior and emotions.
  3. In the year 2024, the employment policy in education-and-self-development sector could incorporate collaborative learning networks with universities to improve the portrayal of animals in schoolbooks, emphasizing animal welfare and empathy.
  4. The employment policy in livestock farming industries ought to take into account the psychological implications of unsustainable farming practices and animal welfare concerns, aiming to foster a more compassionate and ethical approach towards livestock care.

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