Andrea Polanco, PhD

@andreapolanco.bsky.social

1064 Followers 651 Following

Ⓥ Social science researcher at Faunalytics | #FirstGenPhD | PhD in animal welfare science | She/her | Views my own

Infographic titled “Figure 5. Summary of Evidence for Cage-Free Egg Corporate Outreach & Commitments.” On the left, a vertical flow with icons presents four key points: 1) Consumers are willing to pay more for higher-welfare products—up to 40 cents more for cage-free eggs and $0.40–$1 more per pound for slow-growth chicken. 2) Corporate outreach encourages companies to make public commitments to higher-welfare policies. 3) Corporate commitments increase cage-free housing. 4) Cage-free housing and better chicken commitment (BCC) policies help prevent animal suffering. On the right, a stacked bar chart compares progress toward commitments. For cage-free commitments, 64% have been fulfilled and 36% remain. For BCC commitments, only 6% have been fulfilled while 94% remain unmet. A note emphasizes that not all companies have kept their promises.
Bar chart titled “Figure 3. The Impact of Humane Education on Long-Term Diet Change,” with the subtitle “Long-Term Reductions.” The y-axis shows percentage from 0 to 100. Four studies are displayed. Two teal bars represent self-reported reductions: Bryant & Dillard (2020), measured 3–30 months later, shows a 52% reduction; Faunalytics (2022), measured up to five years later, shows a 58% reduction. Two orange bars represent actual meat purchase reductions: Jalil et al. (2020), measured over eight months, shows a 7.8% reduction; Jalil et al. (2023), measured over three years, shows a 9% reduction. A legend distinguishes self-reported reduction (teal) from actual meat purchase reduction (orange). A note states that compared to control groups, treatment participants ate less meat over the entire study period after receiving humane education in the studies by Jalil and colleagues (p < 0.01).
Screenshot of list titled “My Top 2025 films.” A grid of 12 movie posters is shown. The posters include Sinners, Frankenstein, The Ugly Stepsister, Bugonia, Dracula, No Other Choice, One Battle After Another, Marty Supreme, Weapons, 28 Years Later, Mickey 17, and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.
A close-up image of a vinyl record (red and white swirls) titled 'Industry Standard', a new album by Gemunu de Silva (Tracks Investigations) and Gnostic Front. The center of the vinyl features a macaque caught in a net, a result of wildlife trapping.
Letterboxd list called, "Animal Liberation Front" with a description, "fictional portrayals of the ALF or animal rights activists." There are four films on the list: Bold Native, Okja, 12 Monkeys, and 28 Days Later.
A vertical stacked bar chart titled "Percentage of Global Animal Slaughter Totals by LMIC Status," comparing animal slaughter in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) versus non-LMIC countries. The chart displays six categories of animals, showing that LMICs account for the vast majority of slaughter in every category. Goats: 97% in LMICs, 3% in non-LMICs. Sheep: 80% in LMICs, 20% in non-LMICs. Cows: 71% in LMICs, 29% in non-LMICs. Pigs: 67% in LMICs, 33% in non-LMICs. Chickens: 66% in LMICs, 34% in non-LMICs. Fishes: 64% in LMICs, 36% in non-LMICs (measured in live weight tons).
HOW PEERS INFLUENCE THE ODDS OF QUITTING SMOKING* A Partner Who Quits: People are anywhere between 1.3 and 11.8 times more likely to quit smoking if their partner also quits. A Non-Smoking Partner: People are anywhere between 1.6 and 4.4 times more likely to quit smoking if their partner doesn’t smoke. Friends, Coworkers, and Siblings People are: -43% less likely to smoke if their friends quit. -34% less likely for coworkers quit (in small firms). -25% less likely for siblings. More Distant Connections: Friends of friends of friends are able to influence smoking, but not any connections beyond that. *Quitting smoking and abstaining from meat have a number of similarities. We believe that by studying the social spread of smoking cessation, it may provide a model for understanding how veganism may spread in social circles. Thus, these findings should be interpreted as a framework for vegan contagion.
QUITTING SMOKING AS A PARALLEL FOR VEGANISM Behavioral Similarities: -Both are complex behavioral changes. -Both are good for one’s health. -Both are frequently-cued behaviors (in other words, our environments often trigger us to take these actions). -Quitting meat and tobacco can be difficult and some folks have previously failed to quit. Key Differences: -Meat is socialized as Natural, Normal, Necessary, and Nice in a way that tobacco isn’t. -Tobacco use has decreased globally, while meat consumption has been increasing in most countries. -Motivations for veganism may be broader than health and may include ethics or environmental concerns.
A cup of vegan instant noodles on a table overlooking Mt. Fuji at sunset.
Book cover for "Organize The Lab - Theory & Practice", edited by Science For The People