Psychological differences and similarities between vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians. Motivation, knowledge, vegan literacy – and cheese

Introduction: Vegans and vegetarians often share similar motivations (animal welfare and environmental concerns) but differ markedly in behavior and lifestyle. This study examines psychological differences among vegans, vegetarians, and prospective vegans (vegetarians intending to become vegan), focusing on motivation, knowledge, attitudes, identity, affectivity, social context, barriers, and misconceptions (including the role of cheese). Methods: Cross-sectional observational online survey of 1,420 participants after exclusions (initial N=1,776). Measures included motivations, self-rated and tested knowledge (communicative and instrumental), dietarian identity, affectivity, sources/time spent acquiring information, perceived barriers, and difficulty giving up specific animal-derived foods. Results: Significant group differences emerged, particularly in knowledge: vegans scored highest on knowledge (self-assessed and tested), followed by prospective vegans, then vegetarians. Groups also differed in motivations, attitudes toward veganism, dietarian identity, affectivity, instrumental knowledge, and perceived barriers; cheese was a particularly salient barrier. Discussion: Findings highlight knowledge—termed vegan literacy—as a central factor explaining why similar motives yield different dietary behaviors. Cheese may uniquely hinder transitions to veganism, potentially reflecting taste/habit and possible addictive features.

Roland Mayrhofer, Lara M. Roberts, Julia M. Hackl, Katja Frischholz