Vegetarianism: Toward a greater understanding

Vegetarianism continues to gain prominence in contemporary society. This research uses a two‐phase approach to further the understanding of this phenomenon. In the first phase, a phenomenological perspective is utilized to provide a deeper understanding of the motivations, tensions, and coping mechanisms underlying vegetarianism. The second phase builds upon this understanding and broadens the scope of the research by introducing the concept of vegetarian orientation. Here, survey methodology is employed to investigate the manner in which a person's demographic, attitudinal, and personality characteristics influence his/her vegetarian‐oriented attitudes and behaviors. Findings and their marketing implications are discussed.