IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i21p4162-d281191.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Association of Internet Use with Attitudes Toward Food Safety in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Jiaping Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
    School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
    These authors are co-first authors to this work.)

  • Zhiyong Cai

    (Commission of Student Affairs, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing 211815, China
    These authors are co-first authors to this work.)

  • Mingwang Cheng

    (School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China)

  • Huirong Zhang

    (School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
    School of Labor Relationship, Shandong Management University, Jinan 250357, China)

  • Heng Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China)

  • Zhongkun Zhu

    (College of Economics & Management, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China)

Abstract

A growing body of research has shown that people’s attitudes toward food safety is affected by their availability and accessibility to food risk information. In the digital era, the Internet has become the most important channel for information acquisition. However, empirical evidence related to the impact of Internet use on people’s attitudes towards food safety is inadequate. In this study, by employing the Chinese Social Survey for 2013 and 2015, we have investigated the current situation of food safety perceptions and evaluations among Chinese residents and the association between Internet use and individuals’ food safety evaluations. Empirical results indicate that there is a significant negative correlation between Internet use and people’s food safety evaluation in China. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis shows that Internet use has a stronger negative correlation with food safety evaluation for those lacking rational judgment regarding Internet information. Specifically, the negative correlation between Internet use and food safety evaluations is more obvious among rural residents, young people, and less educated residents. Finally, propensity score matching (PSM) is applied to conduct a robustness check. This paper provides new evidence for studies on the relationship between Internet use and an individuals’ food safety cognition, as well as additional policy enlightenment for food safety risk management in the digital age.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiaping Zhang & Zhiyong Cai & Mingwang Cheng & Huirong Zhang & Heng Zhang & Zhongkun Zhu, 2019. "Association of Internet Use with Attitudes Toward Food Safety in China: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:21:p:4162-:d:281191
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4162/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4162/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peng, Yala & Li, Jiajie & Xia, Hui & Qi, Siyuan & Li, Jianhong, 2015. "The effects of food safety issues released by we media on consumers’ awareness and purchasing behavior: A case study in China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 44-52.
    2. Guanghua Han & Simin Yan, 2019. "Does Food Safety Risk Perception Affect the Public’s Trust in Their Government? An Empirical Study on a National Survey in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-15, May.
    3. Cox-Edwards, Alejandra & Rodríguez-Oreggia, Eduardo, 2009. "Remittances and Labor Force Participation in Mexico: An Analysis Using Propensity Score Matching," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 1004-1014, May.
    4. Erika Elsas, 2015. "Political Trust as a Rational Attitude: A Comparison of the Nature of Political Trust across Different Levels of Education," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 63(5), pages 1158-1178, December.
    5. Harriet Whiley & Beverley Clarke & Kirstin Ross, 2017. "Knowledge and Attitudes towards Handling Eggs in the Home: An Unexplored Food Safety Issue?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, January.
    6. Castellacci, Fulvio & Tveito, Vegard, 2018. "Internet use and well-being: A survey and a theoretical framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 308-325.
    7. Gisela Wachinger & Ortwin Renn & Chloe Begg & Christian Kuhlicke, 2013. "The Risk Perception Paradox—Implications for Governance and Communication of Natural Hazards," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(6), pages 1049-1065, June.
    8. Reardon, Thomas & Farina, Elizabeth Maria Mercier Querido, 2001. "The Rise Of Private Food Quality And Safety Standards: Illustrations From Brazil," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 4(4), pages 1-9.
    9. Liu, Peng & Ma, Liang, 2016. "Food scandals, media exposure, and citizens’ safety concerns: A multilevel analysis across Chinese cities," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 102-111.
    10. Zheng, Shilin & Duan, Yuwei & Ward, Michael R., 2019. "The effect of broadband internet on divorce in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 99-114.
    11. Choi, HwaJung & Burgard, Sarah & Elo, Irma T. & Heisler, Michele, 2015. "Are older adults living in more equal counties healthier than older adults living in more unequal counties? A propensity score matching approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 82-90.
    12. Holtkamp, Nicholas & Liu, Peng & McGuire, William, 2014. "Regional patterns of food safety in China: What can we learn from media data?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 459-468.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jiaping Zhang & Xiaomei Gong & Zhongkun Zhu & Zhenyu Zhang, 2023. "Trust cost of environmental risk to government: the impact of Internet use," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 5363-5392, June.
    2. Chuanhui Liao & Yu Luo & Weiwei Zhu, 2020. "Food Safety Trust, Risk Perception, and Consumers’ Response to Company Trust Repair Actions in Food Recall Crises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-16, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Guo, Mengmeng & Liu, Jinge & Yu, Jianyu, 2021. "Social trust and food scandal exposure: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    2. Jiaqin Sun & Ruguo Fan & Zhou Yang, 2022. "An Evolutionary Game Analysis of Periodical Fluctuation in Food Safety Supervision," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, April.
    3. Jiaping Zhang & Xiaomei Gong & Zhongkun Zhu & Zhenyu Zhang, 2023. "Trust cost of environmental risk to government: the impact of Internet use," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 5363-5392, June.
    4. Chi Ma & Jianping Tao & Caifeng Tan & Wei Liu & Xia Li, 2023. "Negative Media Sentiment about the Pig Epidemic and Pork Price Fluctuations: A Study on Spatial Spillover Effect and Mechanism," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, March.
    5. Liu, Peng & Ma, Liang, 2016. "Food scandals, media exposure, and citizens’ safety concerns: A multilevel analysis across Chinese cities," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 102-111.
    6. Silva, Thiago Christiano & Coelho, Florângela Cunha & Ehrl, Philipp & Tabak, Benjamin Miranda, 2020. "Internet access in recessionary periods: The case of Brazil," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 537(C).
    7. Zhang, Jiaping & Yan, Qing & Guo, Wenxin & Gong, Xiaomei & Cheng, Mingwang & Yu, Ning, 2020. "Rainbow over the Internet: How Internet use curtails homophobia in China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    8. Ningzhou Shen & Yinghua Song & Dan Liu & Dalia Streimikiene, 2021. "Food Quality Competition Among Companies and Government Food Safety Supervision Under Asymmetric Product Substitution," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(56), pages 221-221, February.
    9. Liang Ma & Peng Liu, 2019. "Missing links between regulatory resources and risk concerns: Evidence from the case of food safety in China," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(1), pages 35-50, March.
    10. Guanghua Han & Yihong Liu, 2018. "Does Information Pattern Affect Risk Perception of Food Safety? A National Survey in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, September.
    11. Chuanhui Liao & Yu Luo & Weiwei Zhu, 2020. "Food Safety Trust, Risk Perception, and Consumers’ Response to Company Trust Repair Actions in Food Recall Crises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Hoffmann, Vivian & Moser, Christine & Saak, Alexander, 2019. "Food safety in low and middle-income countries: The evidence through an economic lens," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 1-1.
    13. Yanbo Zhang & Yibao Wang & Ahmad Bayiz Ahmad & Ashfaq Ahmad Shah & Wen Qing, 2021. "How Do Individual-Level Characteristics Influence Cross-Domain Risk Perceptions Among Chinese Urban Residents?," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, April.
    14. Zhang, Jiaping & Cheng, Mingwang & Yu, Ning, 2020. "Internet Use and Lower Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Effect of Environmental Quality Perception," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    15. Qingyan Tong & Chi-Yang Chu & Dong Zhou & Yulei Feng, 2021. "Does Internet Connectedness Disconnect Marriage? A Micro Empirical Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 143-176, November.
    16. Stevens, T.M. & Aarts, N. & Termeer, C.J.A.M. & Dewulf, A., 2018. "Social media hypes about agro-food issues: Activism, scandals and conflicts," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 23-34.
    17. Sisira S. Withanachchi & Ilia Kunchulia & Giorgi Ghambashidze & Rami Al Sidawi & Teo Urushadze & Angelika Ploeger, 2018. "Farmers’ Perception of Water Quality and Risks in the Mashavera River Basin, Georgia: Analyzing the Vulnerability of the Social-Ecological System through Community Perceptions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-26, August.
    18. Amarendra Sharma, 2019. "Indira Awas Yojana and Housing Adequacy: An Evaluation using Propensity Score Matching," ASARC Working Papers 2019-05, The Australian National University, Australia South Asia Research Centre.
    19. Ionela Tofan & Elena Condrea, 2022. "An Analysis of Business Performance In Romania’s IT Sector," Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, Ovidius University of Constantza, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 0(2), pages 207-216, Decembrie.
    20. Ling Jia & Queena K. Qian & Frits Meijer & Henk Visscher, 2020. "Stakeholders’ Risk Perception: A Perspective for Proactive Risk Management in Residential Building Energy Retrofits in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-25, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:21:p:4162-:d:281191. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.