Existing studies on children's attitudes toward animals (Herzog and Burghardt, 1988; Prokop
and Tunnicliffe, 2008; Binngießer et al., 2015; LoBue and Adolph, 2019) have largely relied
on indirect methods, such as questionnaires, visual materials, or video recordings, without
involving direct interaction between children and live animals. Such approaches do not allow
for the observation of spontaneous behavioral responses, which are essential for understanding
the genuine emotional experience of animal encounters. To address this methodological
limitation, our study adopted an experiential approach that enabled pupils to engage in direct
contact with various live animals. We focused on examining pupils' attitudes toward animals,
particularly whether these attitudes vary according to age and gender.
The study included 151 pupils from third (8–9 years) and eighth grade (13–14 years) of primary
school, representing two distinct age groups. The aim was to gain insight into how children's
attitudes toward animals change with age. Each pupil was individually exposed to four animal
species (a rabbit, a waxy monkey frog, an African flower beetle, and an earthworm), during
which their behavioral responses were observed. Each animal was introduced separately, in a
consistent setting and under the supervision of the researcher. Behavioral responses were
assessed using a five-point scale reflecting the degree of willingness to make physical contact
with the animal — ranging from spontaneous handling without encouragement to complete
refusal.
Immediately after each interaction, a brief individual interview was conducted with each pupil,
to explore their subjective experiences: how they felt during the encounter, and whether they
noticed any physical reactions (e.g., increased heart rate, goosebumps, discomfort). This part
of the research served as an addition to the observed behavioral data.
The results of our study indicate that different animal species evoke varying levels of negative
behavioral and emotional-physical responses. In particular, invertebrates elicited more
negative reactions than vertebrates. The rabbit proved to be the most popular animal in our
sample, generating the highest proportion of positive behavioral and emotional responses. In
contrast, the African flower beetle and the earthworm triggered significantly more aversion
among pupils. A statistically significant difference between age groups was observed in the
case of the earthworm, with older pupils responding more negatively.
Gender also emerged as an important factor, particularly among eighth-grade pupils. Girls
more frequently reported feelings of disgust, aversion, and physical discomfort during contact
with invertebrates. The most pronounced gender difference was observed with the African
flower beetle, which girls were significantly less likely to touch, and more likely to describe
the experience using negative emotional and physical terms, such as disgust, goosebumps, or
even fear. Similar patterns were observed with the earthworm. Among third-grade pupils, no
statistically significant gender differences were detected, although girls somewhat more
frequently reported negative emotional-physical responses when interacting with the waxy
monkey frog.
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Our findings suggest that children's attitudes toward animals change with age, as reflected in
an increase in negative behavioral responses, especially toward invertebrates. Gender
differences also become more pronounced in older pupils. While previous research findings
regarding the influence of age and gender have often been inconsistent and based mostly on
indirect methods, our study enabled more accurate observation of pupils' behavior through
direct interaction with animals.
Accordingly, direct contact with animals proved to be a valuable tool for understanding
children's attitudes toward animals. We therefore emphasize the importance of systematically
incorporating such experiences into the educational process. These activities must be
conducted in an environment that ensures the safety of children and the well-being of animals.
Teachers and other education professionals should receive appropriate training to carry out
these activities, as their role is crucial in fostering a society rooted in empathy, acceptance of
diversity, and a respectful relationship with all living beings and the natural world.
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