Why is anthropomorphism problematic?

Although anthropomorphism helps us view other animals with compassion, it can also be problematic. By attributing human traits to nonhuman animals, our understanding of their needs and behaviours becomes biased. This can lead to several problems, including:

Behavioural problems. People may project their own assumptions and conclude that animals act out of malice or spite when they are simply following their instincts.
Welfare problems. Anthropomorphism can also lead people to overfeed their pets, provide them with unsuitable foods (e.g., vegan diets), or compromise their health by dressing them with clothes.

Anthropomorphism can create unrealistic expectations for animals and missed opportunities for understanding their actual behaviours.

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Types of editing	Available at Scribbr?
Proofreading Correction of superficial mistakes, such as typos, misspellings, punctuation errors and consistency errors.	Yes! This is the “proofreading” in Scribbr’s standard service. It can only be selected in combination with editing.
Copy editing Focus on grammar, syntax, style, tone and the conventions of the field. The editor also considers the internal logic of the text and flags any obvious contradictions.	Yes! This is the “editing” in Scribbr’s standard service. It can only be selected in combination with proofreading.
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Developmental editing (i.e. content editing, substantive editing) This is the first step of the editing process and applies to very early drafts. The editor helps you structure your ideas, decide what story to tell and find direction for your writing.	No. This kind of editing involves heavy rewriting and restructuring. Our editors cannot help with this.

Frequently asked questions

Why is anthropomorphism problematic?

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Frequently asked questions

How does the sample edit work?