Exploring Animal Abuse Proclivity, Everyday Sadism, and Attitudes Toward Animals in Cyprus

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationships between animal abuse proclivity, everyday sadism, and attitudes toward animals in Cyprus. Past research found relationships between animal abuse proclivity and attitudes toward animals, and animal abuse proclivity and sadism, but much of this research is still in its early stages. There is currently no research incorporating these three constructs into one analysis. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to further explore these relationships and determine links between constructs that had not been previously studied together. For the study, 263 people were recruited from the general population of Cyprus. Participants were requested to provide demographic details and fill in the Animal Abuse Proclivity Scale, the Short Sadistic Impulse Scale, and the Attitudes Toward the Treatment of Animals Scale. Data were collected online with Greek and English versions of the questionnaires being made available. The data were subsequently merged, and path analyses were conducted to investigate the relationships. Animal abuse proclivity, specifically the Thrill subscale, was predicted by greater everyday sadism, less positive attitudes toward animals, and being female. The animal abuse proclivity Power subscale was predicted by less positive attitudes toward animals. More positive attitudes toward animals were predicted by being female and older, but attitudes toward animals were not predicted by either of the two key constructs. Finally, greater everyday sadism was predicted by less positive attitudes toward animals, younger age, and being male. Demographic differences were also identified in the analysis. The discussion highlights the significance of supporting the findings of previous studies and tentatively identifies new relationships worthy of future examination.

KEYWORDS:

• Animal abuse proclivity
• attitudes toward animals
• Cyprus
• everyday sadism
• exploratory research
• human–animal interaction

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.