Assessment of ten different forms of animal use: a study of ethical orientations and reasoning among adolescents

This study examined adolescents’ animal ethics orientations and how these shape their evaluations of ten forms of animal use. We surveyed 104 Austrian 10th-grade students (aged 15–16) using a mixed-methods design. Quantitatively, validated scales assessed four animal ethics orientations (animal welfare, animal rights, anthropocentric, lay utilitarian). Qualitatively, students’ open-ended justifications for accepting or rejecting animal use were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Students strongly accepted pet keeping (97.1%) and the production of eggs and milk (95.2%), while shows with animals (92.3%) and animal testing (73.1–98.1%) were widely rejected. Animal welfare emerged as the dominant ethical orientation, followed by animal rights. Gender and diet significantly influenced both ethical orientations and acceptance of animal use, with male students showing higher acceptance across several practices. Students with welfare- or rights-oriented views more frequently referred to animal suffering, whereas mixed orientations relied more on general justifications such as necessity or human benefit. By linking adolescents’ evaluations of ten animal-use practices with ethical orientations and open-ended reasoning, the study provides insights relevant for biology education and SSI teaching.