ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

The aim of this study is to explore the effect of gender, companion animal ownership, and the acceptability on the perception of animal cruelty case. A total of 327 respondents (176 women, 151 males) responded to questions related to perceptions of animal cruelty case (judgments of sentencing, responsibility attribution of animal victim, and perpetrator blaming). After reading scenarios of animal cruelty, negative emotional responses and awareness to strengthen the animal laws were also measured. The main results of this study are summarized as follows. First, gender differences were found in the perception of animal cruelty case. Women were more likely to impose harsher sentences on the perpetrators, to blame the perpetrators, and to display more negative emotional response in animal cruelty cases than men. Second, companion animal owners were more likely to impose harsher sentences, to blame the perpetrators, and to display more negative emotional response in animal cruelty cases than non-owners. Third, the higher the acceptability of violence, the more responsibility attribution to animal and the weaker the awareness that animal laws should be strengthened. Finally, implications and limits of the study are discussed.

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