Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2022
Tailored communication changes consumers' attitudes and product preferences for genetically modified food
Sleboda, Patrycja; Lagerkvist, Carl-JohanAbstract
Despite scientific consensus, consumers' misperceptions about the risks of genetically modified (GM) food influence product rejection and the persistence of negative attitudes. Building on the mental models approach for risk communication and the Elaboration Likelihood Model for attitude change, a two-wave repeated measures randomized controlled experiment on a representative sample of Swedish consumers was used to test the effectiveness of tailored (to consumers' mental models of GM food) and persuasive (strong vs. weak) communication for attitudes and product preferences change. In wave 1 (N = 3,243) and wave 2 (N = 1,554), we measured consumers' attitudes and elicited product preferences using a discrete choice experiment. We found a positive effect of communication on attitudes and product preferences in two out of the four treatment groups, one of which initially held a negative attitude and perceived GM food as very risky.Keywords
Discrete choice experiment; GM food; Elaboration likelihood Model (ELM); Mental models; Risk perception of GMO; Novel food technologiesPublished in
Food Quality and Preference2022, volume: 96, article number: 104419
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Authors' information
Sleboda, Patrycja
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Economics
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Economics
UKÄ Subject classification
Economics
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104419
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/114428