ABSTRACT Public concern for farm animal welfare is increasing in the UK, as is evidenced by recent legislation. Calls have been made to enhance awareness of food, farming, and farm animal welfare among school children, yet educators have very little research available to aid meaningful design of farm animal welfare education. Our research used an interdisciplinary approach to investigate Scottish children’s welfare knowledge of and perspectives on farm animals. The study set out to explore: a) children’s knowledge of the welfare needs of cows, lambs, and chickens, b) beliefs about farm animal sentience, the extent to which children empathized with farm animals, and d) the impact of first-hand experience on attitudes toward farm animals. Data were collected from six focus groups; there were interviews with children aged 6 to 11 years and these allowed both developmental and gender comparisons. While children were not indifferent to the welfare and treatment of farm animals, the study identified very large gaps in their knowledge of the welfare needs of farm animals. While children endorsed animal sentience and readily took the perspective of cows, chickens, and sheep, empathy was cognitive rather than affective. Most children had had little contact with farm animals and perceived of them in a more abstract way than they did pet animals. Our study highlights the potential of direct interaction with farm animals to enhance children’s welfare concern and compassion for farm animals. Findings also identified an interest in discussing the ethical aspects of killing animals for human consumption among children aged 10 years and older.

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儿童对农场动物的福利知识和同情：一项定性研究

摘要 英国公众对农场动物福利的关注日益增加，最近的立法证明了这一点。已经呼吁提高学童对食品、农业和农场动物福利的认识，但教育工作者几乎没有研究可用于帮助有意义的农场动物福利教育设计。我们的研究使用跨学科的方法来调查苏格兰儿童对农场动物的福利知识和观点。该研究旨在探索：a) 儿童对奶牛、羔羊和鸡的福利需求的了解，b) 对农场动物情感的信念，儿童对农场动物的同情程度，以及 d) 第一手资料的影响对农场动物态度的经验。数据来自六个焦点小组；对 6 至 11 岁的儿童进行了访谈，这些访谈允许进行发育和性别比较。虽然儿童对农场动物的福利和待遇并非无动于衷，但研究发现他们对农场动物福利需求的了解存在很大差距。虽然孩子们认可动物的感知力，并且很容易接受牛、鸡和羊的观点，但同理心是认知性的，而不是情感性的。大多数儿童与农场动物几乎没有接触，而且对它们的看法比对宠物动物更抽象。我们的研究强调了与农场动物直接互动的潜力，以增强儿童对农场动物的福利关注和同情心。