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last mo.

Study Finds Vegetarians Seek Power and Status More Than Meat Eaters

Investigators say these small to moderate differences reflect the toughness needed to stick with a minority lifestyle

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The lead researcher suspects his results reflect how vegetarians in western societies have historically felt like a “besieged minority”
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Overview

  • The study led by Professor John Nezlek and published in PLOS One surveyed over 3,500 adults in the US and Poland, including around 800 vegetarians.
  • Vegetarians scored higher on values linked to power, personal ambition and social status, indicating a stronger desire for control over people and resources.
  • Meat eaters were more inclined to prize benevolence, security, conformity and tradition than their vegetarian counterparts.
  • Psychologists characterized the average gap in values between the two dietary groups as small to moderate yet statistically significant across the large sample.
  • Researchers suggest these value differences may arise from the psychological toughness required of a dietary minority and say further studies may clarify whether such values drive or follow vegetarianism.