A+S Test Review

Anthropocentrism

A human-centered view of our relationship with the environment.

Anthropomorphism

The attribution of supposedly human qualities to non-human animals

Dominion

religious and popular belief that humans have a moral right to use other animals for their ends. Sometimes, it is also associated with the responsibility to protect other animals.

Human exceptionalism

the belief that humans are categorically different than all other animals and therefore superior

Moral schizophrenia

cognitive confusion that occurs when people who exploit and cause suffering to animals may also love and care for those same animals (why I love a dog but continue to eat pigs even though they are smarter and also as loving)

multispecies relativism

Everybody (human and nonhuman animals), in all senses, should have the same rights—critique of rights as a whole.

Sociozoologic scale

classify and rank animals on the basis of their benefits to human societies, allowing humans to define them, to enforce and reinforce their position in human societies, and justify actions. Inherently hierarchical, directly benefiting humans.

What is the first principle of symbolic interaction?

Human beings act towards things based on the meaning they have from them.

What is the second principle of symbolic interaction?

Meaning arises from/derived from the social interaction had from fellows.

What is the third principle of symbolic interaction?

These meanings are modified through an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with things they encounter.

Balinese Cockfighting

symbolic action of mirroring owners' personalities onto the birds themselves and a metaphor for the country's identity as a whole (bravery/resistance/"proud cock")

Thomas Theorem

"If men define the situations as real, they are real in their consequences"

sentience

capacity for sensation or feeling

speciesism

not inherently human or hierarchical, yet a prejudice against certain animals due to their specific species, and anything that isn't a human is less superior (akin in racism or sexism)

boundary work

The creation of us versus them mentalities is fundamentally about inclusion and exclusion to maintain superiority over each other through the use of animals.

This concept involves defining social groups by establishing distinct boundaries, often leading to discrimination and social hierarchies.

neolithic revolution

The switch from nomadic lifestyles to a settled agricultural lifestyle is this revolution.

I/me

I: actor/cognition (unpredictable, changing)

Me: awareness/meta-cognition

I+Me makes a SELF

-capacity for language is fundamental to self

(Irvine I+Me LOOK AT)

Born with I, develop Me through interaction

animal capital

resources to enable the development of meaningful, non-exploitative companionship with animals, which is not necessarily linked to money but rather the ability to commit to seeking resources to cope with problems that arise.

agency (core self feature)

initiate and feel consequences of own actions

affect (core self feature)

patterned qualities of feeling associated with experiences of self (emotions over time to others)

Coherence (core self feature)

gives agency somewhere to live

self history

sense of remaining, to some extent, the same even though we change.

What is relevance of Descartes on animal studies?

"I think therefore I am." mentality led to harmful actions as animals were denied sentience because they lacked minds (language).

critical anthropomorphism

using repeated interaction as a starting point for considering what animals may need

Irvine's critique of anthropomorphism

Animals have the capacity for self/intersubjectivity and should not anthropomorphize but rather through symbolic interaction we can access a true creatures self.

animals in shelters

not allowed due to health concerns, so much of research on homelessness and petkeeping came from veterinary gatekeepers

Koko the gorilla

gorilla that was taught sign language and pointed to symbol use understanding from detecting a red string on white towels and signing red instead of white. Debunks theory that animals communication is purely instinctual and points to a selfhood within animals.

Washoe the chimp

first chimp to learn sign language and knew 140 gestures as well as twice as many two-sign combos.

What is a wrong assumption for why we have pets related to power?

Dominance (power over nature)

What is a wrong assumption for why we have pets related to affection?

Deficiency (lack of affection leads to pets)

What is a wrong assumption for why we have pets related to a natural connection?

Biophilia (natural connection to animals)

What is a wrong assumption for why we have pets related to financial priorities?

Affluence (waste of money to care for animals when there are needy people)

object-subject dichotomy

A subject is full and complete, whereas an object is not. Taxidermy = object

Subject = defining the pet. as a family member.

What is intersubjectivity?

Mutual, shared understanding among participants in an activity.

How do animals demonstrate intersubjectivity?

Through play fighting and hunting

Sociology's primary focus the study of animals (Arlike, Sanders, Irvine)

Animals help create human identify by interacting with us as selves in relation to us

"We see field research as predominantly (at best) a way to wonder about culture."

"Fieldworkers' primary goal is to capture a group's perspective and treat it as if it true nor false, good nor bad"

Frame breaks

Actions or physical items that are reminders that animals are not "real" family members but rather make-believe family members. Examples include "No Dogs Allowed" signs, eating their poop, and mating in public.

Tie signs

Introduction of pets' histories, stories, and nonverbal communication actions (touch/outfits/etc) in order to minimize boundaries between pets and humans by demonstrating their special status to strangers.

What misconception does the anthropomorphization of giant pandas create?

It suggests that they are tame and not wild.

Alex the Parrot

evidence that birds may be able to reason on a basic level and use words creatively by giving wrong answers at an improbable rate to be done with the drill quicker/show annoyance.

What was Goffman's interpretation of stigma?

Spoiled identity or a discrediting attribute that turns someone from a whole and usual being to a tainted and discounted one. Leads to in and out groups

What is contained defiance as a strategy to cope with stigma?

Grumbling under breath and complaining to similarly disaffected peers.

What is open defiance as a strategy to cope with stigma?

Yelling, disobedience, and challenging order overtly.

What does redefining mean as a strategy to cope with stigma?

Responding openly to verbal assaults with narratives that reject the values behind the assaults.

Research methods in animal studies

Fieldwork mainly which includes participant observation, self-reflection, autoethnography, ethnohistory, ethnographic analysis

Irvines thoughts on why we do/don't have pets

a. H1: the deficiency argument: animals serve as surrogates for real human interaction
b. H2: Affluent Argument: waste of money to keep animals when there are people who need to be taken care of
c. H3: Dominance Argument: we can turn wolves into Weiner dogs, companion animals allow us to manifest power over nature
d. H4: Biophilia Hypothesis: people have a natural connection to animals

3 kinds of Intersubjectivity

Share intentions

Share focus of attention

Shared emotional states

Research in animal sciences

Field work

Participant observation

Self-reflection

Autoethnography

Ethnohistory

Goffman, stigma, and “homeless” pet owners 

“nonpersons” easily criticized and or generally treated with disrespect (unhoused=nonpersons)  

Stigma in unhoused pet owners

• spoiled identity/ mark

• in group and out group

Pets are able to give un-housed peoples a positive self -image

Core Self

1. Agency
2. Coherence
3. Affectivity (categorical and vitality)
4. Self History
(NOTE: IF YOU DONT HAVE A CORE SELF, YOU CANT HAVE INNER SUBJECTIVITY)