GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES TOWARD ANIMAL RESEARCH

Although gender differences in attitudes toward animal research have b een reported in the literature for some time, exploration into the nat ure of these differences has received less attention. This article exa mines gender differences in responses to a survey of attitudes toward the use of animals in research. The survey was completed by college st udents and consisted of items intended to tap different issues related to the animal research debate. Results indicated that women were more likely than men to support tenets of the animal protection movement. Likewise, women were more likely than men to favor increased restricti ons on animal use and were more concerned than men about the suffering of research animals. Analysis of item contents suggested that women e ndorsed items reflecting a general caring for animals, were more willi ng than men to make personal sacrifices such as giving up meat and med ical benefits in an effort to protect animals, and were more likely th an men to question the use of animals in research on scientific ground s. Men, on the other hand, tended to emphasize the potential benefits arising from the use of animals in research.