Humane Education

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.

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.

Max Planck, the German physicist and Nobel Prize winner once remarked, "a new (scientific) truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it." This may seem like a cynical point of view, but Planck understood that truth is neither self-evident nor easily accepted; it requires time to erode strongly held falsehoods and persuade people to accept new concepts.

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.

Wave 3 of HRC's Animal Tracker, slated for early next year, will survey a representative sample of adults in the U.S., addressing questions like knowledge of various animal issues, the influence of concern for animals on personal choices, perceived impact of the animal protection movement, and support for the movement's goal of eliminating animal suffering. We'll also be able to compare the results with findings from the baseline survey, which was conducted in early 2008.

HRC recently announced our latest collaborative research study designed to measure the progress of the U.S. animal advocacy movement. Supported by both organizational sponsors and contributions from individuals, the new study is a truly collaborative project designed to inexpensively gather reliable data. The new study will be on ongoing resource showing the status of animal protection in the U.S. according to a set of "key indicators." To learn more, please read our email to HRC's supporters...