Influencing Behaviour by Optimizing Cultural Norms

Exploring and understanding cultural norms is necessary to gain a framework under which to insert animal well-being interventions.  Within Balinese culture there is a deep belief in Karma, the law of the universe.  People firmly believe that happenings and events, both good and bad, directly relate to Karma.  It is said that you are either paying Karmic debt or enjoying Karmic deed.  The belief is that all is interconnected, past, present and future.  All actions will affect your current and future life.

The Karmic belief system can be a topic to facilitate discussions to challenge entrenched behaviours that are detrimental to animal well-being.  It can also be a conduit to reinforce desired or changed behaviour. For these conversations to be authentic they must be initiated and led by Balinese people.

The young girl in this image recovered from a serious and life threatening illness only after her father placed a small black puppy on her hospital bed.  Her recovery was attributed to the presence of the puppy and as a result her family have dedicated their lives to saving Bali Dogs, believing that it is their Karma to do so.  This decision and subsequent actions are independently enacted. 

This type of situation can be leveraged as evidence to other community members of the need to repeat behaviours that have positive consequences and to reflect upon behaviours that harm or hurt other sentient beings.