Genetically modified foods and risk perception: The effect of additional positive information on attitude

Health related potential losses have become one of the most important factors affecting consumers? food choices with the recent food scares and food safety has become primary competitive asset. Due to the factors such as strangeness, the limited level of information, uncertainty and intervention to nature, genetically modified food has become one of the products in which higher physical risk is perceived. While the arguments are continuing around the benefits and risks of these products, it is the fact that the majority of consumers are exposed to negative information focusing on the risks. This study, based on this fact, investigates the effect of positive information on consumer attitude. The participants were examined into three groups according to information processing strategies they apply which determines the type of risk perception. It was investigated whether the change in attitude towards GM food is significant or not after positive information in two different contents which are daily/popular and scientific. The attitude of participants, who process the information heuristically and perceive the risk as feelings, has been changed positively after both type of information. Positive change in the attitude of participants who process the information systematically and perceive analytic risk was observed only after scientific information. The participants, who process the information systematically but evaluate the issue from the political point of view, were analyzed under the group of politic risk. While no changes were expected in the attitude of the group after the both type of information, scientific knowledge lead to positive change.