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People from all walks of life can have varying opinions on how animals should be treated. But how does someone develop these opinions? And how do their life experiences with animals shape their beliefs? These are the kinds of questions that UAA undergraduate psychology major and philosophy minor Grace Asselin is trying to answer. 

Asselin recently returned from a research trip in March to the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. While at UBC, she interviewed 11 animal welfare scientists and graduate students in the Animal Welfare Program to gather firsthand information to answer her questions. 

Asselin started at UAA as an undeclared student. She decided to major in psychology as she believed the program 鈥渉ad the most long term opportunities,鈥� but also pursued a minor in philosophy due to her interest in the subject. 

The trip was made possible through a grant from the Elizabeth Tower Endowment for Canadian Studies. Asselin learned about the opportunity while studying in Philosophy A303, taught by Raymond Anthony, Ph.D., professor of philosophy. Anthony鈥檚 own research involves studying applied ethics related to animal disease management preparedness.

Thematic analysis used to make sense of differing views

Asselin鈥檚 research involved compiling and analyzing what she learned from the interviews using a technique known as 鈥渢hematic analysis.鈥� This method is used in the social sciences to identify and interpret recurring patterns or themes within qualitative sources of data, like interviews. 

Asselin explained that her thematic analysis involved 鈥済oing through all the interviews that I have, pointing out repeated concepts, concerns, points, and then in that way coding and identifying  the theme of what the overall consensus among the faculty is.鈥�

The project was Asselin鈥檚 first introduction to conducting thematic analysis, but she was guided through the process by Anthony. 鈥淚've never done thematic analysis before. I'm still learning myself,鈥� Asselin explained. 鈥淟uckily, Professor Anthony is there to help me work through it.鈥�

Part of the challenge of thematic analysis is finding poignant and common themes. 鈥淓verybody has a really unique perspective, which I guess is unsurprising,鈥� Asselin explained. She was, however, able to identify some generalities among the 11 people she interviewed: 鈥淎ll the people there who I interviewed really care about animals. They grew up surrounded by animals. They all view animals as individuals.鈥�

Results point to diverse perspectives on animals

Asselin presented her research at the Student Research and Creative Scholarship Showcase on April 18. One result from the thematic analysis that she presented was that animal welfare scientists are influenced by their attachments to the animals they study and by their own values on the individuality and autonomy of animals. 

She explained that scientists may develop personal connections to the animals they work with, and that these can affect how they view those animals. 鈥淚 spoke to a couple of people who work with mice and rats in labs at UBC, and they have thousands of [mice or rats], and they get euthanized on very high levels,鈥� Asselin said. 鈥淭hey get connected to those animals. They love their mice and rats, they see them as individuals. And so it can be really hard for them to work in that field while having a connection with animals in that way.鈥�

Another theme Asselin identified from the interviews was the need for animal welfare scientists to collaborate more with the public to improve outcomes for people and animals. Asselin found that differences of opinion between animal welfare researchers and dairy farmers arose from their different values or perspectives: 鈥淭he farmers have the perspective of growing up raising the cattle鈥�[they have] more financial incentive compared to the researchers who are coming at it from the animal welfare perspective.鈥�

Asselin hopes her research can help people better understand the 鈥渨hy鈥� behind animal welfare research: 鈥淲hy we do things as a society or why animal welfare researchers do things. We can better understand the protocols and the research that should be done in the future.鈥�