What Makes Diets Political? Moral Foundations and the Left-Wing-Vegan Connection

Abstract Though meat-consumption is known to be a key factor in environmental damage, veganism and vegetarianism are still perceived left-wing-phenomena, ironically not penetrating those who hold ideologies of conservation. Logical contradictions historical counter-examples cast doubt on substantive connection between political orientation meat-eating. Instead, common psychological factors may predispose people toward both: left vs. right-wing self-restrictive omnivore eating preferences. Moral foundations have been shown explain why even seemingly contradictory issue stances brought forward the context same ideological or orientation. Here, we expand these findings by showing moral connect vegan vegetarian preferences as well specific strategies meat-eating justification large German sample. Specifically, binding authority purity avoidance tendencies differentially interact with across spectrum stronger effects for left-wing adherents centrists than right-wing. Mediation analyses reveal that parts association self-restriction attributable differences makeup left- adherents. Connecting our results prior work explanatory power polarization environmentalism, discuss how inform inter-ideologically appealing communications reducing meat consumption, which worthwhile necessary goal mitigating climate change.