Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2022
Abstract
The relative influence of genes and environment on human behavior is one of the most persistent, interesting, and divisive issues in psychology. The human penchant for eating animals is a good example. Clearly, culture has a huge influence on the amount of flesh people consume. The average American, for example, consumes about 240 pounds of meat a year while per capita meat consumption in India is only 10 pounds per year. And your chances of being a vegetarian or vegan are nearly seven times higher if you live in India than in the United States (39% versus 6%). Further, cultures vary widely in the types of animals that are considered to be edible (e.g., cats in Madagascar, termites in Tanzania).
Recommended Citation
Herzog, H. 2022. More evidence suggests that vegetarianism is mostly due to genes. Psychology Today Aug 29 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animals-and-us/202208/more-evidence-suggests-vegetarianism-is-mostly-due-genes
