Research Methodologies

When fellow animal advocates ask me questions about research on animal protection issues, I typically ask them if they have looked at our research primers. In response, I usually hear "Research what? Where?" I am guessing that many advocates, even those of you who follow our work, are not aware of the full wealth of free data we have available. Here I want to highlight HRC's research primers, since they are a free resource that can help all advocates better understand the issues on which they are working. So let me tell you a little about them.

[Excerpt from the interview] As a movement, we can engage in self-expression, which is great, but if we want to achieve meaningful, lasting change for animals, we will need to reach out to people who don’t have this top of mind. What I mean is, it's hard when we have our heads in this 24/7 to put ourselves in the position of the person on the receiving end of the message. The only real way to know is to research that.

Written by Diane Venberg, one of HRC's 2010 interns, this wonderful overview of HumaneSpot.org shows the breadth of our research database and highlights a number of important studies. Be sure to give this blog a read if you've been wanting a taste of what HumaneSpot.org has to offer before applying for access. And if you have any research that you think should be included in our database, be sure to let us know.

As those of us at HRC mention regularly, the purpose of conducting research is often to overcome (or validate) our own assumptions and biased viewpoints. It can be difficult for advocates who feel strongly about animal protection to understand the attitudes and behavior of those who are less moved by the suffering of animals. To really know what non-advocates think - and why - it is essential to ask them directly and then filter their responses through rigorous analysis. You may be surprised by the answers and how different they can be from the beliefs of animal advocates.

Ten years ago, when we founded the Humane Research Council (HRC), some animal advocates were skeptical when we made the case for investing in strategic research... How things have changed over the last decade! No longer is research an afterthought in animal advocacy; it now occupies its own seat at the table as the animal protection movement has realized research’s vital role in campaign planning and execution.

Our goal with HumaneSpot.org is to help animal and environmental advocates be more effective by empowering them with informative research. During the two and a half years since we launched HumaneSpot.org, I'm pleased to say our user base has grown significantly and we consistently receive positive feedback. To help advocates get even more from using HumaneSpot.org, here are a few essential tips and resources...

We hear a lot these days about the power of "telling stories" to persuade people to change their attitudes, to donate, etc. Although I'm a big fan of data and hard numbers, there's good evidence that they do not make compelling outreach material for most audiences. This may be particularly true for animal issues, where the number of animals on farms and in shelters and laboratories is staggeringly high and difficult for many people to comprehend.

If you are currently receiving the HumaneSpot.org email alerts or using the website for your research, please consider supporting HRC as we seek to upgrade our computers to better serve our clients and the animal protection movement. To learn more about our need for new equipment, please read this message that I sent to HRC's email list last week.

I thought you might enjoy this interview that HRC's Anthony Bellotti recently conducted with Mike Markarian, Executive Vice President of the Humane Society of the U.S. Mike discusses the new Shelter Pet Project launched with Maddie's Fund and the Ad Council, focusing on how research played an essential role in developing the project.

Another interesting article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review provides examples of what the author calls "Catalytic Philanthropy." In a nutshell, the concept involves strategic, concentrated, and typically large investments of resources to achieve a specific instrumental change in the status quo. The model has successfully reduced meth use in Montana and increased math literacy in California; could it also be applied to animal protection?