Simple SummaryWith the general goal of increasing knowledge about how individuals perceive and evaluate different animals, we provide normative data on an extensive set of open-source animal images, spanning a total of 12 biological categories (e.g., mammals, insects, reptiles, arachnids), on 11 evaluative dimensions (e.g., valence, cuteness, capacity to think, acceptability to kill for human consumption). We found that animal evaluations were affected by individual characteristics of the perceiver, particularly gender, diet and companion animal ownership. Moral attitudes towards animals were predominantly predicted by ratings of cuteness, edibility, capacity to feel and familiarity. We hope this free resource may help advance research into the many different ways we relate to animals.AbstractThere has been increasing interest in the study of human-animal relations. This contrasts with the lack of normative resources and materials for research purposes. We present subjective norms for a set of 120 open-source colour images of animals spanning a total of 12 biological categories (e.g., mammals, insects, reptiles, arachnids). Participants (N = 509, 55.2% female, MAge = 28.05, SD = 9.84) were asked to evaluate a randomly selected sub-set of 12 animals on valence, arousal, familiarity, cuteness, dangerousness, edibility, similarity to humans, capacity to think, capacity to feel, acceptability to kill for human consumption and feelings of care and protection. Animal evaluations were affected by individual characteristics of the perceiver, particularly gender, diet and companion animal ownership. Moral attitudes towards animals were predominantly predicted by ratings of cuteness, edibility, capacity to feel and familiarity. The Animal Images Database (Animal.ID) is the largest open-source database of rated images of animals; the stimuli set and item-level data are freely available online.

Understanding consumer perceptions of meat alternatives is key to facilitating a shift toward more sustainable food consumption. Importantly, these perceptions may vary according to the characteristics of the consumer (e. g., preferences, motivations), the product (e.g., sensory attributes) and the encounter (e.g., how the meat alternative is presented/framed). Qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to examine consumer perceptions of five proposed alternatives to meat: legumes, tofu, seitan, lab-grown meat, and insects. In Study 1, 138 participants provided free associations with regards to conventional animal proteins (e.g., red/white meat, fish) and the five alternatives. Three profiles of consumers were identified: (1) hedonically motivated meat eaters uninterested in meat substitutes; (2) health-oriented meat eaters open to some meat substitutes; and (3) ethically conscious meat avoiders positively oriented to most meat alternatives. In Study 2, the presentation of the product was experimentally manipulated: 285 participants evaluated the same five meat alternatives along several dimensions (e.g., edibility, healthiness), either when framed as an individual product or as part of a larger meal. Overall, most meat alternatives benefited from a meal framing, with the notable exception of legumes, which benefited from an individual framing, and insects which were evaluated quite negatively regardless of framing. The present findings suggest that there is not a single way to frame all meat alternatives that will improve their appeal to all consumers.

Positive relationships with pets can sometimes foster more positive judgments of other animals. The present study sought to examine the scope of this "pets as ambassadors" effect in relation to four meaningful animal categories (companion, farmed, predator, and pest) derived from the Animal Images Database (Animal.ID). The Animal.ID contains ratings from 376 Portuguese individuals on pet attachment and several dimensions related to animal attributes and moral concern for 120 different animals, which offered insights into the scope and nature of the "pets as ambassadors" effect. Pet attachment was related positively to ethical concern for animals and lower levels of speciesism. The relationship between pet attachment and animal attributions were expressed, beyond companion animals, most consistently for predators and farmed animals, and least of all pests. The benefits of pet attachment centered mostly on aesthetic judgments and benevolent feelings toward predators and farmed animals, sentience attributions for pests, and concerns about the killing of all animal groups for human consumption. Pet attachment did not reliably relate to the attributions individuals made about the intelligence or dangerousness of animals, or their similarity to humans. The findings help clarify how pets might serve as ambassadors for other animals. KEYWORDSAttitudes; human-animal interaction; pet attachment; pets as ambassadors Several lines of research have converged on the finding that prolonged contact with an animal in one's care has the potential to engender and expand concern for other animals more generally (Auger & Amiot, 2017;Paul & Serpell, 1992, 1993. This is sometimes referred to as the "pets as ambassadors" hypothesis (Serpell & Paul, 1994). Studies into this phenomenon have yielded mixed findings. Some studies have demonstrated positive benefits of owning a pet on, for example, attributions of sentience and emotion to animals (Hawkins & Williams, 2016;Morris et al., 2012) or concern for their treatment (Prokop & Tunnicliffe, 2010). However, other studies have observed little to no effects of owning a pet on such measures (Knight et al., 2004;Taylor & Signal, 2005).

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Review question / Objective: What are the multi-level supply-side barriers to the commercialization of new biopolymer production technologies? Condition being studied: Biopolymers are sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional petroleum-based polymers, and their use is becoming increasingly important for reducing the negative impact of plastic waste on the environment. Despite the potential benefits of biopolymers, their commercialization might face several supply-side barriers. This systematic review aims the identification and characterization of these barriers. The focus is on understanding the challenges involved in the commercialization of new biopolymer production technologies, which may include technological, economic, regulatory, and social factors that can affect the adoption and use of biopolymers in various industries. The question studied in this systematic review is relevant to a broad range of stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals involved in the development, production, and commercialization of new biopolymer technologies. By providing a comprehensive synthesis of the existing literature on the multi-level supply-side barriers that can hinder the commercialization of new biopolymer production technologies, this systematic review aims to inform future research, policy, and practice to facilitate the successful implementation of these technologies.