Questioning the Role of Empathy with Animals on the Relationship Between Speciesism and Collective Action Orientation for Animal Rights

Year 2024, Volume: 17 Issue: 1, 119 - 140, 30.04.2024

Emine Yücel , Hüseyin Haluk Yıldırım Mevlüt Şemsettin Ceylan

https://doi.org/10.37093/ijsi.1372866

Abstract

People must attribute minds to non-human beings in order to accord them various rights and feel moral responsibility toward them. Speciesism, on the other hand, limits human moral responsibility to species membership by prioritizing the interests of human species over those of non-human species. The current study examined the role of empathy with animals on the associations of speciesism and mind attribution to animals with collective action orientation for animal rights. The sample consisted of 196 females and 103 males, whose ages ranged between 18 and 61 (MAge = 25.56, SD = 7.80). Participants were given a socio-demographic information form as well as scales of speciesism, mind attribution to animals (sensation and intellect capacity), empathy with animals, and collective action orientation for animal rights. According to the results, emotional and cognitive empathy with animals indirectly explained the link between speciesism and collective action orientation. Moreover, emotional empathy with animals also indirectly explained the relationship between perceived sensation capacity of animals and collective action orientation. The findings highlight the importance of animal empathy-related mechanisms in collective action orientation for animal rights.

Keywords

speciesism, animal empathy, animal rights, collective action

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that this article complies with ethical standards and rules. The application for conducting this research was submitted to the Scientific Ethics Evaluation Board of the Faculty of Letters at Selcuk University and approval was obtained for the study (Decision date: Jan 27, 2023, Decision no: 2023/003).

Supporting Institution

No financial support was received from any person or institution for the study.

Türcülük ve Hayvan Hakları İçin Kolektif Eylem Yönelimi Arasındaki İlişkide Hayvanlarla Empatinin Rolünün Sorgulanması

Abstract

İnsan dışı varlıklara zihin atfetmek onlara çeşitli haklar tanınması ve insanların onlara karşı ahlaki sorumluluk hissetmesi açısından kritiktir. Bununla birlikte insan türünün çıkarlarını insan dışı türlerinkinden üstün tutmaya karşılık gelen türcülük insanın ahlaki sorumluluk alanını türe üyeliğe göre sınırlandırır. Bu çalışmada türcülük ve hayvanlara zihin atfının hayvan hakları için kolektif eylem yönelimiyle olan ilişkisinde hayvanlarla empatinin dolaylı rolü incelenmiştir. Çalışma örneklemini yaşları ranjı 18 ile 61 arasında değişen (Myaş = 25,56, SD = 7,80), 196 kadın ve 103 erkek oluşturmaktadır. Katılımcılara demografik bilgi formu ile türcülük, hayvanlara zihin (duyum ve akıl kapasitesi) atfı, hayvanlarla empati ve hayvan hakları için kolektif eylemlere katılım yönelimini değerlendirmeye yönelik ölçekler uygulanmıştır. Bulgulara göre hayvanlarla duygusal ve bilişsel empati kurma, türcülük ile kolektif eylem yönelimi arasındaki ilişkiyi dolaylı olarak açıklamaktadır. Hayvanlarla duygusal empati kurma ayrıca hayvanların duyum kapasitesine ilişkin atıflar ile kolektif eylem yönelimi arasındaki ilişkiyi dolaylı olarak açıklamıştır. Bulgular hayvan hakları için kolektif eylem yöneliminde hayvanlara yönelik empatiyle bağlantılı mekanizmaların önemine işaret etmektedir.

Keywords

türcülük, hayvanlarla empati, hayvan hakları, kolektif eylem

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışmada etik ilke ve standartlara uyulduğu beyan edilmiştir. Bu araştırma için Selçuk Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Bilimsel Etik Değerlendirme Kuruluna başvuru yapılarak çalışmanın etik kurul onayı alınmıştır (Karar tarihi: 27.01.2023, Karar no: 2023/003).

Supporting Institution

Yazarlar bu çalışma için herhangi bir finansal destek almadıklarını beyan etmiştir.

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