Authors:
Hestermann, Nina (University of St Andrews)
Le Yaouanq, Yves (LMU Munich)
Treich, Nicolas (Toulouse School of Economics and INRA)
Abstract:
Many individuals have empathetic feelings towards animals but frequently consume meat. We investigate this “meat paradox” using insights from the literature on motivated reasoning in moral dilemmata. We develop a model where individuals form self-serving beliefs about the suffering of animals caused by meat consumption in order to alleviate the guilt associated with their dietary choices. The model makes several specific predictions: in particular, it predicts a positive relationship between individuals’ taste for meat and their propensity to engage in self-deception, a high price elasticity of demand for meat, and a causal effect of prices and aggregate consumption on individual beliefs.
Keywords:
motivated reasoning; moral dilemmata; self-deception; meat paradox; meat price-elasticity; animal welfare
JEL-Classification:
D72; D81; D83; D84; Z13