A Qualitative Study Of Vegetarian Motivations
This study of vegetarians’ motivations through ethnographic research with participants via an international message board found that health and the ethical treatment of animals were the primary motivators for these participants choosing vegetarian diets.
Researchers participated on an online message board, gathering responses from 33 participants, following up with a mail survey with 18 of these respondents (mainly from the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom).
The primary motivators for vegetarianism among this group were health and the ethical treatment of animals, although many also reported a range of commitment to environmental concerns. However, the environment was only considered a primary motivator for vegetarianism in a single case.
This research suggests that vegetarians may follow a trajectory in which initial motivations are augmented over time by other concerns, thereby reinforcing the vegetarian dietary choice and complicating its motivations.