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Biosecurity, Terrorism, and Food Consumption Behavior: Using Experimental Psychology to Analyze Choices Involving Fear

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  • Just, David R.
  • Wansink, Brian
  • Turvey, Calum G.

Abstract

How would a possible food safety scare influence food consumption? Using techniques from experimental psychology, a study of 103 lunchtime participants suggests that a food scare--avian influenza--would decrease consumption of the affected food by 17% if the subjects believed it was naturally occurring, and by 26% if they believed it was the result of terrorism. While individual consumption decreased, very few eliminated all consumption of the affected food. We argue that experimental psychology is essential when attempting to study behavior in food safety where hypothetical scenarios and surveys would not capture the emotional nature of the response.

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  • Just, David R. & Wansink, Brian & Turvey, Calum G., 2009. "Biosecurity, Terrorism, and Food Consumption Behavior: Using Experimental Psychology to Analyze Choices Involving Fear," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 34(1), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:jlaare:50085
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.50085
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    Cited by:

    1. Annika Djurle & Beth Young & Anna Berlin & Ivar Vågsholm & Anne-Lie Blomström & Jim Nygren & Anders Kvarnheden, 2022. "Addressing biohazards to food security in primary production," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(6), pages 1475-1497, December.
    2. Ulf Römer & Oliver Mußhoff & Ron Weber & Calum Turvey, 2017. "Wie ehrlich sind Kunden von Mikrofinanzinstituten? Ein Bogus-Pipeline-Experiment zur Untersuchung asymmetrischer Information im Mikrofinanzsektor auf den Philippinen [How Honest are Clients of Micr," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 69(2), pages 153-172, June.
    3. Römer, Ulf & Mußhoff, Oliver & Weber, Ron & Turvey, Calum G., 2017. "Truth and consequences: Bogus pipeline experiment in informal small business lending," Department of Agricultural and Rural Development (DARE) Discussion Papers 260765, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (DARE).
    4. Just, David R., 2019. "Viewpoint: Is the ban on deception necessary or even desirable?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 5-6.
    5. William Schulze & Brian Wansink, 2012. "Toxics, Toyotas, and Terrorism: The Behavioral Economics of Fear and Stigma," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(4), pages 678-694, April.
    6. Boisvert, Richard N. & Kay, David & Turvey, Calum G., 2012. "Macroeconomic costs to large scale disruptions of food production: The case of foot- and-mouth disease in the United States," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 1921-1930.
    7. Qingyin Cai & Yulian Ding & Calum Tuvey & Yuehua Zhang, 2021. "The influence of past experience on farmers’ preferences for hog insurance products: a natural experiment and choice experiment in China," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 46(3), pages 399-421, July.

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