Consumer attitudes towards genetically modified foods in Europe [Elektronische Ressource] : structure and changeability / Joachim Scholderer

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• Publié par: universitat_potsdam
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2005
• Nombre de lectures: 12
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Consumer Attitudes towards Genetically
Modified Foods in Europe: Structure and
Changeability



Joachim Scholderer














Dissertation zur Erlangung des Grades Doctor rerum politicarum

Universität Potsdam
Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät
Mai 2004

Tag der Disputation: 13. Januar 2005




Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Ingo Balderjahn, Universität Potsdam
Zweitgutachter: Prof. Dr. Klaus G. Grunert, Aarhus School of Business





















Author’s Address

Joachim Scholderer
MAPP, Aarhus School of Business, Haslegaardsvej 10
DK-8210 Aarhus V, Denmark. Tel.: [phone]. Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]. WWW: http://www.mapp.asb.dk


Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all colleagues and friends who have contributed to the work
presented here, either through valuable comments, through their patience, or simply
through being there. I am particularly indebted to my supervisors, Prof. Dr. Ingo
Balderjahn, University of Potsdam, and Prof. Dr. Klaus G. Grunert, Aarhus School of
Business.
The empirical research presented here was conducted within large, cross-national
collaboration projects. The data for Studies 1 and 2 were collected as part of the project
“Consumer Attitudes and Decision-making with Regard to Genetically Engineered
Food Products” (CADE-GENTECH), funded by the European Commission under the
th4 Framework Programme through contract number FAIR-PL96-1667. The project was
coordinated by Klaus G. Grunert, MAPP, Aarhus School of Business, Denmark. The
participating organizations were MAPP, Aaark; VTT
Biotechnology and Food Research, Finland; Oy Panimolaboratorio-
Bryggerilaboratorium, Finland; Chr. Hansen A/S, Denmark, University of Potsdam,
Germany; ISIDA, Italy; and the Institute of Food Research, United Kingdom.
The data for Study 3 were collected as part of the project “Consumers and Bio-
technology”, funded by the Nordic Industrial Fund through contract number P98098.
The project was coordinated by Dr Liisa Lähteenmäki, VTT Biotechnology and Food
Research, Finland. The participating organisations included MAPP, Aarhus School of
Business, Denmark; Matforsk, Norway; SIK, Sweden; and VTT Biotechnology and
Food Research, Finland. I would like to thank the participants in both projects for a
pleasurable and inspiring experience.


Aarhus, May 2004
Joachim Scholderer

Contents

1. Introduction............................................................................................................9
1.1. The GM Foods Debate in the EU.....................................................................9
1.2. The Unresolved Problem ...............................................................................18
1.3. Paradigmatic Orientation of the Research .....................................................19
1.4. Structure.........................................................................................................19
2. Previous Research on Consumer Attitudes towards Genetically Modified
Foods .............................................................................................................................21
2.1. Overview........................................................................................................21
2.2. Public Opinion Surveys .................................................................................24
2.3. Comparative Risk Perception Studies............................................................32
2.4. Qualitative Investigations of the Content of Consumers’ Belief Systems.....37
2.5. Models of Attitude Structure..........................................................................43
2.6. Attitude Change Studies.................................................................................55
2.7. Product Choice Experiments..........................................................................59
2.8. Preliminary Conclusions and Unresolved Questions.....................................62
3. Structure and Dynamics of Systems of Attitudes: A Theoretical
Reconstruction..............................................................................................................67
3.1. Overview........................................................................................................67
3.2. Belief-based Models of Attitude....................................................................71
3.3. Dimensional Models of Attitude74
3.4. The Functional Approach...............................................................................78
3.5. A Proposed Structure of the Attitude System ................................................81
3.6. Dynamic Properties and Resistance to Persuasion ........................................85
3.7. Building an Alternative Attitude System.......................................................88
4. Research Questions..............................................................................................93
5. Methodological Framework................................................................................95
5.1. Overview........................................................................................................95
5.2. Multi-Sample Structural Equation Modeling with Structured Means ...........96
5.3. Comparing Directional Influence Structures in Attitude Systems...............103
5.4. Generalizing over Different Populations .....................................................110
6. Study 1: Intra- and Inter-attitudinal Structure ..............................................114
6.1. Research Questions and Hypotheses............................................................114
6.2. Pilot Research..............................................................................................123
6.3. Method.........................................................................................................127
6.4. Analysis and Results ....................................................................................137
6.5. Discussion....................................................................................................165
7. Study 2: Resistance to Persuasion ....................................................................170
7.1. Research Questions and Hypotheses............................................................170
7.2. Pilot Research175
7.3. Method180
7.4. Analysis and Results ....................................................................................189
7.5. Discussion....................................................................................................199
8. Study 3: Bypassing the Attitude System and Establishing Alternative
Structures....................................................................................................................202
8.1. Research Questions and Hypotheses............................................................202
8.2. Method.........................................................................................................205
8.3. Analysis and Results209
8.4. Discussion216
9. Conclusions and Implications ...........................................................................218
References ...................................................................................................................224
Appendix 1 ..................................................................................................................252
Appendix 2253
Appendix 3256
Appendix 4257

List of Figures

Figure 2.1. Average attitude of EU consumers towards different types of GM foods (scale minimum = 1
“totally disagree”; scale maximum = 4 “totally agree”; adapted from Eurobarometer 58.0; Gaskell,
Allum & Stares, 2003, p. 13). ......................................................................................................... 26
Figure 2.2. Trends in overall support of first-generation GM foods in different EU member states
(percent responding with “totally agree” or “agree” to the question whether the application should
be encouraged. Adapted from Eurobarometer 58.0; Gaskell et al., 2003, p. 18)............................ 27
Figure 2.3. Trends in overall support of second-generation GM foods in different EU member states
be encouraged. Adapted from Eurobarometer 58.0; Gaskell et al., 2003, p. 18)............................ 28
Figure 2.4. Average trust of EU consumers in different actors involved in biotechnology (adapted from
Eurobarometer 58.0; Gaskell, Allum & Stares, 2003, p. 33). ......................................................... 31
Figure 2.5. Relative position of the potential food hazard “genetically altered” in perceptual space,
compared to other food-specific hazards (adapted from Fife-Schaw & Rowe, 2000). ................... 34
Figure 2.6. Perceptual maps for different general (upper figure) and specific applications (lower figure)
of gene technology, derived from objection scores