‘Because they are a part of life:’ Children’s ideas about the welfare, rights, and protection of animals and ecosystems

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study assessed links among children’s moral concern and their ideas about the rights and protection of companion, farm, wild animals and ecosystems. Sixty-one children responded to three interview questions that were coded as either anthropocentric or biocentric in orientation. Results revealed unique links among children’s moral concern and their ideas about the rights and protection of different types of animals and ecosystems. Biocentric moral concern was associated with two protection strategies: 1) advocacy to protect companion animals and ecosystems, and 2) the need for peer support to help protect wild animals. Overall, results revealed the nuanced diversity of children’s moral concern and ideas about the rights and protection of all types of animals and ecosystems. Implications for moral education programs include a balanced approach to foster compassion, environmental awareness, and social justice among youth.

KEYWORDS:

• Children’s moral concern
• animal and ecosystem rights
• ecosystem and animal protection
• biocentric and anthropocentric concern

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was in part supported by a Faculty of Education Research and Development Grant at Brock University – Project Coordinator/Research Assistant and Brock University Research Initiative Award.

Notes on contributors

Renata Roma

Renata Roma is a PhD candidate at Brock University in the Department of Child and Youth Studies. Her research interests focus on dog-human interactions, pet attachment, and young people’s management of desired and undesired behaviours in their dogs.

Christine Tardif-Williams

Christine Tardif-Williams is an associate professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University. Her teaching and research focus on human-animal interactions, children’s relationships with animals, the quality of caregiver-child relationships, and child maltreatment.

Sandra Bosacki

Sandra Bosacki is a Professor in the Department of Educational Studies. Her teaching and research focus on social cognition and mental health in children and adolescents.