How vegans and vegetarians negotiate eating-related social norm conflicts in their social networks

Laura Salmivaara; Mari Niva; Mia Silfver; Annukka Vainio

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2022.106081

How vegans and vegetarians negotiate eating-related social norm conflicts in their social networks

Appetite. 2022 Aug 1:175:106081. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106081. Epub 2022 May 13.

Authors

Laura Salmivaara¹, Mari Niva², Mia Silfver³, Annukka Vainio⁴

Affiliations

¹ Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 4, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: laura.salmivaara@helsinki.fi.
² Department of Economics and Management, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), University of Helsinki, PO Box 27, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: mari.niva@helsinki.fi.
³ Faculty of Social Sciences (Social Psychology), PO Box 54, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: mia.silfver@helsinki.fi.
⁴ Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 4, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: annukka.vainio@helsinki.fi.

PMID: 35569603
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106081

Abstract

This qualitative study, framed by social identity theory, examines how self-identified vegans and vegetarians negotiate diet-related social norm conflicts within their social networks. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews with 18- to 58-year-old vegans and vegetarians who represented five nationalities were analysed inductively through thematic analysis. According to the results, social norm conflicts occurred in contexts where tense family relations or boundaries between in-group and out-group were salient. The results also show that in order to manage norm conflict situations, the interviewees used strategies towards the dominant social norms, such as adapting, challenging, and weakening. In particular, adapting to the dominant social norms was used in relationships that were not close, whereas challenging and weakening were used within close relationships. The interviewees had developed practical solutions to resolve social norm conflicts, such as eating what was served, actively providing information, or acting as an example to others. The results enhance understanding of the challenges entailed by practising vegan or vegetarian diet in an omnivorous society.

Keywords: Semi-structured interviews; Social identity; Social norms; Sustainable eating; Vegans; Vegetarians.