Social network research and meat reduction – An overview of research directions and results from a study in Denmark
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Reducing the current level of meat consumption would reap significant environmental benefits. However, a consumer transition towards more plant-rich eating is lagging, and the social sciences have had limited success in understanding behavioural change in this area. Here, we advocate a research agenda focussing on the role social networks could play in encouraging consumers to eat less meat. We present main research directions in social network theory and highlight the distinction between simple and complex behavioural domains of which food and eating practices are an example of the latter. To illustrate one way in which social network insights can contribute to meat reduction research, we then present results from a questionnaire-based study of Danish consumers. We examine the association between an individual's personal network and reduced meat consumption. In line with assumptions, we show that, for a complex domain such as food and eating practices, exposure from multiple network sources is central to behavioural adoption. However, multiple network exposure is predominantly important for the initial decision to eat less meat. A narrower network of personal contacts become more central during the implementation stage. We end by outlining future research directions for social network research regarding meat reduction.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Artikelnummer | 100203 |
| Tidsskrift | Cleaner and Responsible Consumption |
| Vol/bind | 14 |
| Antal sider | 10 |
| ISSN | 2666-7843 |
| DOI | |
| Status | Udgivet - sep. 2024 |
Bibliografisk note
Funding Information:
In contrast, the role social interactions could play in reducing meat consumption has received less attention. This was already noted some years ago (Sanchez-Sabate and Sabat\u00E9, 2019), and research about this has not evolved much since then (see Section 2.4). Social networks are central to the diffusion of behaviours (Centola, 2018; Christakis and Fowler, 2013; Rogers, 2003), including eating behaviour (Higgs and Thomas, 2016; Pachucki et al., 2011; Paisley et al., 2008; Ryd\u00E9n and Sydner, 2011; Salmivaara et al., 2021). In the sustainable transition literature, social tipping points (Global Systems InstituteUniversity of Exeter, 2022; Stadelmann-Steffen et al., 2021) are increasingly considered a central element for societal wide change to occur, also in the food consumption domain (Aschemann-Witzel and Schulze, 2023; Schulze et al., 2024). Here, the diffusion of sustainable behaviour is assumed to involve a process of \u201Csocial contagion\u201D whereby the initial adopters of a sustainable behaviour inspire others to adopt the behaviour. At a certain point a critical mass is reached after which the adoption rate accelerates and grows and becomes self-sustaining. Eventually, population-wide change occurs (Global Systems Institute, University of Global Systems InstituteUniversity of Exeter, 2022). This must be supported by policy interventions that facilitate and trigger social tipping (Global Systems Institute, 2022; Aschemann-Witzel and Schulze, 2023).The Velux Foundation supported the research financially (project number 27826).The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The Velux Foundation supported the research financially (project number 27826).
Funding Information:
The Velux Foundation supported the research financially (project number 27826).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
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