Manipulating attitudes towards GM food with framing

Abstract

Although the benefits of genetically modified food are scientifically proven, most people of the Dutch population do not support its implementation and are sceptical towards the topic. Contributing factors for this sceptical attitude are a lack of knowledge and (ethical) beliefs. Framing can cause changes in the attitude of an individual. This is known as the framing effect. According to four pillars of legitimacy, four different types of framing are distinguished: normative, cognitive, regulative and pragmatic framing. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a difference between the framing effects of these types of framing. An experimental vignette study with four different questionnaires is conducted, each questionnaire representing a different framing type. Using a sample of 236 consumers between 18 and 30 years old, it was found that there are no significant differences between the four framing effects. However, a significant positive correlation was found between the familiarity of genetically modified foods and a positive attitude towards the topic, confirming previous literature. This means that the more familiar people already are with genetically modified food, the more positive their attitude is towards it.