Adults don’t simply lose empathy for animals — they learn out of it. This second episode of the PHAIR Mini-series: traces how early openness narrows into adult resistance. Researchers describe the developmental arc: children begin with flexible, generous moral concern, but adolescence introduces pressures that harden attitudes and make adult behavior difficult to shift. Advocates and psychologists unpack why adults cling to entrenched patterns even when they they care about animals.
This episode Features guests:
Tobias Leenaert — Author, strategist, and co‑founder of the Center for Effective Vegan Advocacy. Known for pragmatic, evidence‑based approaches to behaviour change and movement strategy, with a focus on incrementalism and broad‑tent advocacy.
Antonia Gefahrt — Social psychologist and incoming doctoral researcher at the University of Burg.
Chris Hopwood — Professor of Psychology at the University of Zurich. Specialises in personality, identity, and interpersonal dynamics, with recent work examining how moral identity and self‑concept influence human–animal relationships
Joshua Rottman — Associate Professor of Psychology at Franklin & Marshall College. Studies moral reasoning, cognitive development, and how people justify eating animals.
Brooke Haggerty — Executive Director of Faunalytics. Works at the intersection of research and advocacy, helping organizations use data to design more effective interventions and understand public attitudes toward animals.
Jared Piazza — Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology at Lancaster University. Research focuses on meat consumption, moral conflict, and the belief–behavior gap.
Matthew Ruby — Psychologist and researcher whose work explores moral cognition, food choices, and the psychology of eating animals. Studies how cultural norms and identity shape dietary behaviour and openness to change.
Ondine Sherman — Author, advocate, and co‑founder of Voiceless. Focuses on youth engagement and ethical storytelling.
Katja Liebal — Researcher studying childhood perception, fantasy animals, and early moral development.
Related Links:
PHAIR Society A biannual gathering of researchers and advocates focused on human–animal intergroup relations, moral psychology, and behaviour change.
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