The Complexity of Relationships Between Animals: the Contribution of Empathy and Gender to the Understanding of Animal Abuse

Abstract

Problem: Traditionally, both the environment and other animals have been excluded from the sphere of moral consideration, even though humans’ positive relationship with them brings benefits for the health of both creatures and promotes the development of empathy and the display of prosocial behaviors (Ngai, Yu, Chau, Lee & Wong, 2021). In fact, in recent decades there have been cases of zoonoses, inappropriate use of resources, deterioration of the environment and an increase in recorded cases of animal abuse. Animal abuse, a complex and multi-determined phenomenon, frequently works as a precursor or indicator of other behaviors classified as “antisocial”, violent and non-violent. There is conflicting evidence regarding the role that empathy plays in the emission or inhibition of aggressive behaviors and how generalizable interspecies empathy is. In this respect, three phenomena of interest stand out: empathic erosion, progressive desensitization to violence and compassion fatigue. Objective: To determine whether the levels of empathy, the willingness to behave abusively against other animals, and actual animal abuse behavior are related to the context of pre-professional training, self-perceived gender, and current and/or previous ownership of other companion animals in university students who are in the final stage of their training to obtain their university degree in Psychology. Methodology: Retrospective ex post facto single case design (N=241). A self-administered questionnaire was applied that included the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, the Animal Empathy Scale, the Animal Abuse Proclivity Scale and the quantity and frequency of effective animal abuse behaviors. Contribution: the contribution of self-perceived gender to the relationship between various measures of empathy and abuse towards other animals is evidenced, and the thesis of the non-generalizability of interspecies empathy is reinforced.