The psychology of why humans eat meat: 1️⃣Comfort and conformity: Humans eat meat for psychological comfort, tied to cultural traditions and social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), fostering belonging and reducing anxiety. Conformity drives this choice to align with norms, reinforcing emotional stability and identity. 2️⃣Misinformation and marketing: Misinformation from meat industry marketing exploits the availability heuristic (APA, 2020), framing meat as essential despite WHO evidence of its risks. This leverages confirmation bias, creating a psychological dependency on these beliefs. 3️⃣Convenience: Meat’s convenience appeals to cognitive ease (Kahneman, 2011), offering low-effort options for busy lifestyles, as noted in behavioral economics. This fosters psychological inertia, hindering shifts to alternative diets. 4️⃣Defense mechanisms from cognitive dissonance: Cognitive dissonance from valuing animal welfare and eating meat (Festinger, 1957) prompts rationalization ...