The Importance of Source: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Toward Genetically Modified Food

Abstract

Even though science says genetically modified (GM) foods are safe, many consumers remain skeptical of the technology. Additionally, the scientific community has trouble communicating to the public, causing consumers to make uninformed decisions. The Millennial Generation will have more buying power than any other generation before them, and more research needs to be done to examine what factors influence their attitudes toward GM food. Guided by the elaboration likelihood model, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influences on undergraduate students’ attitude formation after receiving information about GM food. A convergent mixed methods design was used to collect data. This study found that message source had limited influence on students’ attitudes toward GM food, but risk perception, knowledge, and source credibility were significant predictors of their change in attitude. Participants also expressed wanting to learn more about the technology. Recommendations were to increase knowledge of GM food among university students to promote use of the central processing route and to further investigate influences on students’ change in attitude.