Work

The development of humans' moral views of other animals

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Humans' moral views of animals vary in important ways across development. In many cases, adults display anthropocentric moral judgments that relate to the exploitation of animals as a resource. In contrast, children appear to have a more inclusive perspective regarding animals. In this article, we review and synthesize studies examining differences in how children, adolescents, and adults make moral judgments about animals. We consider how both cultural and individual differences may relate to this developmental trajectory.

Source: Child Development Perspectives

DOI: 10.1093/cdpers/aadaf001

Authors: Luke McGuire, Jared Piazza, Nadira S Faber, Katja Liebal, Matti Wilks