The effect of framing on consumer perceived risk: A research on organic products

This thesis contributes to the growing literature on consumer buying decision process by analyzing the effects of the types of message framing which are attribute and goal framing to consumer perceived risk and also the difference between the effects of attribute and goal framing. In addition, attitude toward organic products, elaboration of negative outcomes and organic product knowledge that effect perceived risk are analyzed to understand their moderating or direct effects on framing. Firstly purpose of this thesis is to analyze which statement in the different message framing types, the presentation of the message to the consumer with positive or negative expressions, has more influence on the consumer risk perception. The results of Structural Equation Model (SEM) shows that framing, elaboration of negative outcomes, organic product knowledge and organic product attitude have effects on consumer risk perception and organic product attitude is a moderator between framing and perceived risk. Also variance analysis results state that there is a difference between the framing types effects on risk perception, and this difference is because of negative goal framing. Keywords: Framing effect, message framing, positive framing, negative framing, goal framing, attribute framing, product knowledge, elaboration of outcomes, attitude toward organic products, perceived risk, SEM, path analysis