Research

Studies have shown that the teaching of empathy is crucial and Humane Education is an excellent means of doing so:

A Humane Education study documented in Children’s Attitudes about the Humane Treatment of Animals and Empathy: One-Year Follow up of a School-Based Intervention revealed that a year long program of weekly lessons produced children that were not only kinder toward animals but generalized their empathy toward people as well.

The American Humane Association Report One More Thing for Teachers to Do? Why and How Educators Should Develop Student's Empathy and Humanity revealed that:

• Empathy acts as an inhibitor of aggression and violence in people of all ages.
• Empathy motivates children and youth to relieve another’s stress and stop their own aggression.
• Empathy follows a developmental path and we should teach preschoolers and kindergartners to regulate their emotions.
• Starting to build empathy and humane behavior when children are young is critical.
• In early childhood, those who are at low, moderate and high risk for developing disruptive behaviors are equally able or express concern for others in distress, and behave in ways that provide help and comfort.

The Empathy Connection, a report commissioned by Doris Day Animal Foundation, found the following:

• Empathy promotes moral intelligence and encourages prosocial behavior.
• Researchers have found correlations between empathy and cognitive skills.
• Empathy is a basic skill that every child needs to learn.

Humane Society Youth compiled annotated bibliographies of many more Humane Education studies.

In addition to teaching empathy and compassion for all living things, Humane Education can help teachers instill the values that are taught in a character education program because animal content captures a child’s attention, imagination and heart in ways that people-focused content might not. Numerous studies have shown the positive social and academic outcomes in schools that have effective character education programs. (The Character Connection)

Public support is also strong:

• Ninety percent of Americans support the teaching of Character Education in schools. (Various studies conducted by the Character Education Partnership)
• Nine out of ten Americans believe that teaching kindness to animals and responsible care of pets should be part of schools’ efforts to encourage good character in children. (2001 survey commissioned by The Humane Society of the United States)

Humane Education can provide the most effective violence prevention program. The link between cruelty toward animals and violence toward people is well documented: Animal Abuse and Youth Violence, First Strike: The Connection Between Animal Cruelty and Human Violence , Learning To Be Cruel?: Exploring the Onset and Frequency of Animal Cruelty , The Violence Connection , Understanding the Link between violence to people and animals, and What Causes Cruelty?.

Assessment

Humane Society Youth provides a number of assessment instruments to measure humane attitudes in elementary school aged students to determine the effectiveness of your program.

"We cannot have peace among men whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. By every act that glorifies or even tolerates such moronic delight in killing we set back the progress of humanity." - Rachel Carson

| home | about | contact |

| booklist | curriculum | dissection/live animals | resources | school lunch |