Date of Graduation

5-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness

Advisor/Mentor

Kemper, Nathan

Committee Member

Popp, Jennie

Second Committee Member

Nayga, Rodolfo

Abstract

The progression of policy that regulates genetically modified (GM) food in the US is a prime example of how the role of the government reformulates in relation to societal changes. Support for various labeling programs is formed around key themes which center on the benefits and costs associated with GM labels. The goal of this experiment was to explore the effect of information framing on GM food choices. This was accomplished by presenting information for or against GM labeling in terms of the benefits (positive framing) or costs (negative framing) to consumers. 1,410 consumers participated in an economic experiment where they were asked to make eight choices between otherwise identical hypothetical poultry products, where half of the consumers were presented with positive framing information and the other half with negative framing. This study also used Query Theory to examine social psychological differences between the two framing treatments. The results show that both positive and negative framing decreased utility for consumers. Age and gender were found to be significant factors in my models.

Keywords

genetically modified foods; consumer preferences; attribute framing; Query Theory

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