The social dynamics of animal product consumption and dietary identity in friendship networks of university students

Abstract

Curtailing animal product and meat consumption can mitigate climate change and benefit health and animal welfare. As eating is highly social, friendship networks may influence animal product consumption, especially as young adults form new relationships in higher education. Previous studies have focused on perceived social norms or found cross-sectional evidence linking social contacts' consumption and dietary identities. Here, we used longitudinal social network analysis to examine dynamic social mechanisms – social selection (choosing friends) and social influence (friends' influence on behavior), related to animal product consumption and dietary identity. Three waves of data on consumption, dietary identities, and friendship networks were collected among Dutch university students (n = 74) over 12 months. Descriptive statistics indicated that animal product consumption positively correlated among friends (Moran's I Network Autocorrelation coefficient = 0.17–0.39). Longitudinal stochastic actor-oriented models found evidence of social selection but not social influence. Specifically, students were likelier to befriend peers with similar dietary identities, and students consuming fewer animal products were likelier to be nominated as friends. Friends' behavior did not influence consumption behavior, but having a meat-reducing household member predicted decreased meat consumption. The findings indicate animal product consumption clusters in student networks, partially driven by seeking friends with similar dietary identities. We discuss how the findings might contribute to future studies and interventions to reduce animal product consumption.