Andrea Polanco, PhD
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andreapolanco.bsky.social
Andrea Polanco, PhD
@andreapolanco.bsky.social
1K followers 610 following 19 posts
Ⓥ Social science researcher at Faunalytics | #FirstGenPhD | PhD in animal welfare science | She/her | Views my own
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andreapolanco.bsky.social
🔍 We found that social justice is often missing from core missions (e.g., only 20% of orgs mention it) & DEI is often forgotten about (just 22% of orgs have formal DEI workplace policies). Yet 43% have a program dedicated to social justice, suggesting one-off efforts.
July 30, 2025 at 4:02 PM
andreapolanco.bsky.social
Obv it's hard to say w/o a proper social network study tracking veganism. But advocates should consider peer groups: ppl are 11.8x more likely to quit 🚬 if their partner quits & 4.4x if their partner is a nonsmoker, while those w/ smoking partners are least likely to quit.
HOW PEERS INFLUENCE THE ODDS OF QUITTING SMOKING* A Partner Who Quits: People are anywhere between 1.3 and 11.8 times more likely to quit smoking if their partner also quits. A Non-Smoking Partner: People are anywhere between 1.6 and 4.4 times more likely to quit smoking if their partner doesn’t smoke. Friends, Coworkers, and Siblings People are: -43% less likely to smoke if their friends quit. -34% less likely for coworkers quit (in small firms). -25% less likely for siblings. More Distant Connections: Friends of friends of friends are able to influence smoking, but not any connections beyond that. *Quitting smoking and abstaining from meat have a number of similarities. We believe that by studying the social spread of smoking cessation, it may provide a model for understanding how veganism may spread in social circles. Thus, these findings should be interpreted as a framework for vegan contagion.
December 18, 2024 at 4:14 PM
andreapolanco.bsky.social
Did your partner or friend influence you to go vegan? In this Faunalytics study, we review the smoking cessation literature to hypothesize the peer influence of veganism! Quitting smoking & quitting meat have a lot in common, but can we expect the same social influences?
QUITTING SMOKING AS A PARALLEL FOR VEGANISM Behavioral Similarities: -Both are complex behavioral changes. -Both are good for one’s health. -Both are frequently-cued behaviors (in other words, our environments often trigger us to take these actions). -Quitting meat and tobacco can be difficult and some folks have previously failed to quit. Key Differences: -Meat is socialized as Natural, Normal, Necessary, and Nice in a way that tobacco isn’t. -Tobacco use has decreased globally, while meat consumption has been increasing in most countries. -Motivations for veganism may be broader than health and may include ethics or environmental concerns.
December 18, 2024 at 4:14 PM
andreapolanco.bsky.social
Imagine being a uni student & using your life savings to travel to the US in hopes of gaining pro dev, but only to end up working in a factory farm where you were forced to participate in standard (cruel) industry practices for low pay & major health risks.
December 9, 2024 at 7:15 PM
andreapolanco.bsky.social
In love with Japan 😍
A cup of vegan instant noodles on a table overlooking Mt. Fuji at sunset.
November 28, 2024 at 10:13 AM
andreapolanco.bsky.social
Was excited to find this book at the leftist book sale today, I wish I had come across it in grad school!
Book cover for "Organize The Lab - Theory & Practice", edited by Science For The People The back cover of "Organize The Lab" book. It says, "Today, science is a billion-dollar enterprise operating through governments, universities, and industries. But like every other productive activity under capitalism, it wouldn't exist without scientists' labor. Recent waves of unionization campaigns have shown us that the only way to overcome precarious and oppression, which defines our everyday experience as workers in the lab, is through collective action. In this collection of essays, written by and for student workers, union organizers, and radical scientists within STEM academia, we seek to understand the structure we set out to change, share strategies for building power through labor organizing, and inspire scientists of all career levels to enact an alternative version of science" .
November 17, 2024 at 10:29 PM