Document Type
Honors Thesis
Abstract
This research paper aims to explore how the vegetarian diet has evolved throughout history through lenses of religion and social psychology. Using primary and secondary academic resources, over thirty resources were evaluated, including books and journal articles, using key words, such as “vegetarian,” “attitudes,” and “social norms.” The beginnings of vegetarianism were established through religious practices, but social norms from families and friends, as well as personal gain reasons, are the driving factors that have maintained the vegetarian diet over time. Vegetarianism began from Pythagoras and his cult in the 600s BC, but it grew once Hinduism and Jainism adopted it. Through their social practices, it continued and still exists today beyond just religious reasons. The common modern explanations for a vegetarian diet are moral, ethical, environmental, and health benefits. These findings suggest that the vegetarian diet has existed since the beginning of people and has been sustained through religious practices, social acceptance, and personal benefits.
Repository Citation
Seymour, Makenna Mae, "From Sacred Practice to Social Identity: The Historical Evolution of Vegetarianism through Religion, Psychology, and Social Norms" (2026). Honors Theses – Charlotte Campus. 6.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/clt_honorstheses/6
