The psychometric properties of the author´s original tool named Questionnaire of the Relations between a Man and Animals (further on AniRe-Que) was constructed to assess the relations between a man and animals as natural beings; calculated in the form of an R-score (R as respect). The questionnaire is based on the theoretical outcomes of an egalitarian zoocentric, ecoethical position attributing moral statues to all beings, and measures the level of respect expression to nonhuman beings. The aim of this study was to verify its validity and reliability in a research sample of future primary and secondary teachers (N = 500, 62% of females, Mage=22.3; SD=4.1) at Matej Bel University in Banská  Bystrica, Slovakia. Various statistical procedures were used to verify its construct validity (exploratory factor analysis /EFA/) and its convergent/discriminating character, criterion validity, and reliability (test-retest, parallel-forms, internal consistency) to establish satisfactory psychometric properties for the AniRe-Que questionnaire. The questionnaire has possible usage for the animal relation estimation by researchers, practitioners and teachers´ ethical and environmental education intervention effectivitiveness, and also as a form of future international cooperation and verification based on this new instrument.

Th e study is based on the research analyses of K.V. Petrides' (2011) trait emotional intelligence construct verifi ed by his Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-TEIQue. Verifi cation of the EI trait construct by stepwise regression analysis confi rmed that it is determined only to a certain extent by the Big Five personality factors theory (14%) (by the TIPI questionnaire, Gosling, 2003) and by perception and experiencing of positive (15%) and negative (13%) mental states (by the SEHW questionnaire, Džuka & Dalbert, 2002). Th us, the emotional intelligence trait as a consistent construct partially captures individual variability of emotional aspects otherwise scattered across personality theories.

The ecological values or environmental competency development is currently an important topic. Attitude, relationship, love or respect for nature can be identified within several theories by various diagnostic tools, though they might be so general covering a man´s true attitude towards animals. The study discusses the characteristics of the author's questionnaire of human-animal relationship AniRe-Que (15) based on the ecological theory of biocentric egalitarianism covering extraterrestrial beings´ respect and consideration. The Questionnaire of Ecocentric and Anthropocentric Attitudes Towards the Environment (Thompson and Barton 1994) adapted by Siegrist (1996) was used to determine the construct validity of the author's questionnaire. Both tools were used to search for respondents' attitudes towards animals (N=937) in the context of their gender, age, residence, eating habits and worldview. The research study is of correlation-differential study design. The most important findings were that the attitude towards nature expressed in general does not completely coincide with the attitude towards animals leading to the hypothesis not all natural being are treated with equal respect by a man. The self-reported respect for animals was significantly lower than the respect for nature assessed by the ecocentric environmental attitude. The diagnostic tools thematizing only nature in its general (complex, synthesizing) context seem to be not sufficient to determine a respondent's attitude towards animals. A man might protect nature, but s/he can care less about the animals.

"The study presents life ethics respect outcomes and egalitarian zoocentrism theory implemented into the author´s, diagnostic tool of Animal Respect Questionnaire (AniRe-Que). AniRe-Que is a valid and reliable tool for teacher´s action research to assess intervention programs effectiveness aimed at environmental intelligence support and nature protection sensitivity. Subsequently, by means of 504 university students (future teachers of various study fields) as a research sample we focused on estimation of animal respect level (R-score for animals considered as natural beings and the essence of moral reasoning). R-score was analyzed in the context of dominant study field at university, prevailing value education from primary and high school education and worldview. Significant differences were proved for worldview in favor of non-religious respondents, for prevailing value education in favor of secular ethical education and for teacher´s training study field in favor of students studying Ethical Education as their future teaching profession. The study discusses the importance of nature protection sensitivity programs implementation into the educational process. Study was financially supported by KEGA project 028UMB-4/2021."

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