<p>Ingredient branding implies that a company incorporates an additional brand into their product in order to increase consumer awareness. This has been proven to be successful in certain product categories such as computers and food. These products can be seen as low involvement and low cost products, since they are bought frequently and generally involves low risk for the consumer. Ingredient branding has never been tested on product categories that are categorised as high involvement and high cost, which is therefore the intention of this thesis. By investigating consumers’ attitudes and perception of quality, towards advertisements with and without ingredient brands, we conclude that ingredient branding does not affect consumers in high involvement and high cost product categories, nor in a positive or negative way.</p>

<p>Ingredient branding implies that a company incorporates an additional brand into their product in order to increase consumer awareness. This has been proven to be successful in certain product categories such as computers and food. These products can be seen as low involvement and low cost products, since they are bought frequently and generally involves low risk for the consumer. Ingredient branding has never been tested on product categories that are categorised as high involvement and high cost, which is therefore the intention of this thesis. By investigating consumers’ attitudes and perception of quality, towards advertisements with and without ingredient brands, we conclude that ingredient branding does not affect consumers in high involvement and high cost product categories, nor in a positive or negative way.</p>

This thesis examines different methods of communicating volcanic hazards to the population of Flagstaff, Arizona using the results of a recent lava flow hazard assessment of the nearby San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF). Harburger (2014) determined that given a lava flow originating in the SFVF, there is a statistical probability that it will inundate the city of Flagstaff or even originate from a vent within the city limits. Based on the recurrence rates for the most recent eruptions (3 x 10-4/year), the probability of lava flow inundation in Flagstaff is 1.1 x 10-5 per year. This study considers the effects of three different communication methods on participants’ perceived risk. The methods were administered through a questionnaire and included a statement of probability of lava flow inundation per year, a statement of probability over a 100 year period, and an interactive lava flow map derived from the results of the lava flow hazard assessment. Each method was followed by questions gauging level of concern. Questionnaires were administered to 213 Flagstaff residents over a two week period in February 2015. Results showed that levels of concern, rated from 1 (not concerned) to 5 (very concerned), varied based on each method of communication. The method with the greatest effect on perceived risk was the simulated lava flow map, while the first method with a one year odds resulted in a statistically lower mean rating of concern. It is suggested that the best way to change levels of perceived risk when communicating lava flow hazards includes a combination of comprehensible odds and visual aids. Further studies could also include visualization of the entire eruption scenario, including time scales and other volcanic hazards, which may have more effect on concern than a simplified visualization of lava flows.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) including coronary artery disease and stroke is a significant health problem in Japan regardless of well established health care and insurance system and various public campaigns and exhibitions in the contemporary Japanese society. Higher and increasing prevalence and incidence of well-known risk factor of CVD may contribute to increasing mortality and morbidity of CVD in the future. However, limited knowledge was available for understanding perceptions of risk for CVD among Japanese adults. This grounded theory study aimed to explore social psychological process in perception of risk for CVD among Japanese adults.There were a total of 26 individuals participated in this study. Participants consisted of 19 Japanese adults with at least one CVD risk factor and 7 Japanese health care providers residing or working in which a consistently high mortality rate of CVD in both men and women.The theory grounded from the data was a process to avoid serious physical, emotional, social, and financial suffering as a consequence of developing CVD or of leaving it untreated and a process to maintain a good relationship with risk for CVD among Japanese adults with CVD risk factors. This grounded theory was consisted of the central concept of perceived risk for CVD, which defined as fear, threats, sorrow, worries, and/or anxiety for possible adverse impacts on their life living with their family and suffering for loss of independence and quality of life consequent upon CVD. This central concept was followed by actions to avoid these adverse and excruciating consequences of CVD including changing behavior, taking measures to manage CVD risk, and continually evaluating their condition. Factors contributed to perception of risk for CVD among Japanese adults were seriousness and severity of consequences of CVD, susceptibility, proneness, and possibility to develop CVD, and Japanese specific contextual factors.This study may contribute to appropriately addressing perception of risk for CVD and behavior change among Japanese adults with risk factors for CVD within the unique social, cultural context of Japan. The results of this study could apply to better nursing practice for CVD risk management and health promotion in Japan.

This research investigated the effects of Scientifically Estimated Environmental Risks (SEERs) and perceived risks of floods, hurricanes, and hazardous material releases, and hazard mitigation measures with other locational and neighborhood amenities on housing prices. This study also tested the relationship between demographic characteristics and SEERs as well as demographic characteristics and environmental risk perceptions. The relationships among these different types of variables were examined by means of statistical analyses such as correlational analyses, ANOVA, MANOVA, and hedonic price regression analyses. Major findings of this research are as follows: There were no statistically significant relationships between most of the demographic characteristics (age, sex, household size, marital status, tenure at the present home) and SEERs of the two natural hazards (a flood and a hurricane). By contrast, SEER of hazardous materials was correlated with all demographic characteristics. There were little differences in risk perceptions of natural and technological hazards across demographic groups. Specifically, the respondents' risk perceptions of both natural and technological hazards did not differ by age, household size, and marital status. By contrast, educational level, gender (male = 1), and median household income were negatively related to perceived risk of the natural hazards, whereas educational attainment and gender were negatively related to perceived risk of hazardous material releases. SEERs of floods and hurricanes were positively related to respondents' perception of property damage, but not related to injury or heath problems from those natural hazards. SEER of hazardous materials was related to all three categories of risk perception of a hazardous material release. Neither the SEERs of natural hazards nor risk perceptions of these hazards had impacts on housing prices. However, the SEER of hazardous material releases and risk perceptions of this hazard were significant housing price determinants. None of the variables representing household hazard mitigation measures contributed to the explanation of housing prices.

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of using sports supplements, from a risk theory perspective. Thematic analysis was used to conduct a secondary data analysis on 18 interviews done with young men who were interested in supplements. Participants were recruited from Guelph area commercial gyms and campus athletic centres. Participants used supplements because they worked out and wanted to gain muscle. Supplements, and especially protein, were part of a common knowledge among people who worked out. Participants evaluated whether supplements were ‘worth it’ by evaluating the cost, efficacy, and safety of supplements. Participants altered their behaviour in response to their perception of the riskiness of supplements, in order to feel safe. Many participants valued information from health professionals but found it lacking. Most information was available from sources that participants did not feel were credible.

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Advanced maternal age (AMA) is linked to several adverse pregnancy outcomes, hence these pregnancies are considered to be "high risk." Risk perception impacts pregnant women’s health care use, health behaviors, and adherence to medical recommendations. Yet, a gap remains in the understanding of perception of pregnancy risk and its contributing factors. This mixed methods research study was developed to address this gap, using a conceptual framework based on a literature review and the Psychometric Model of risk perception. The specific objectives of this study were to compare risk perception in nulliparous women of AMA with younger women, determine the factors influencing perception of pregnancy risk, and gain an understanding of women’s perspectives of risks associated with AMA. Between December 2009 and January 2011, a sample of 159 participants (105 women aged 20-29 years and 54 women aged 35 years or older) was recruited from a variety of settings in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Several questionnaires were completed by participants. Descriptive statistics, chi square, t tests, Pearson's r correlations, and stepwise multivariate linear regressions were used to analyze data. Fifteen women of AMA were chosen purposefully to participate in individual and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim, and content analysis was used to identify themes. Results revealed that pregnancy-related anxiety, maternal age, medical risk, perceived control (internal), and gestational age were significant predictors of perception of pregnancy risk accounting for 47-49% of the variance in risk perception. Maternal age interacted in a synergistic manner with pregnancy-related anxiety to increase perception of pregnancy risk levels. In the qualitative component, four main themes emerged from the data: definition of pregnancy risk, factors influencing risk perception, risk alleviation strategies, and risk communication with health professionals. Women of AMA perceived higher pregnancy risk for both themselves and their fetuses than younger women. However, they were not a homogenous group in their pregnancy risk appraisal. This study contributed to the field by proposing pregnancy-related anxiety as a pregnancy dread factor in risk perception theories. Risk communication is an important element of developing care plans for women of AMA and should be integrated into prenatal care visits.

Advanced maternal age (AMA) is linked to several adverse pregnancy outcomes, hence these pregnancies are considered to be "high risk." Risk perception impacts pregnant women’s health care use, health behaviors, and adherence to medical recommendations. Yet, a gap remains in the understanding of perception of pregnancy risk and its contributing factors. This mixed methods research study was developed to address this gap, using a conceptual framework based on a literature review and the Psychometric Model of risk perception. The specific objectives of this study were to compare risk perception in nulliparous women of AMA with younger women, determine the factors influencing perception of pregnancy risk, and gain an understanding of women’s perspectives of risks associated with AMA. Between December 2009 and January 2011, a sample of 159 participants (105 women aged 20-29 years and 54 women aged 35 years or older) was recruited from a variety of settings in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Several questionnaires were completed by participants. Descriptive statistics, chi square, t tests, Pearson's r correlations, and stepwise multivariate linear regressions were used to analyze data. Fifteen women of AMA were chosen purposefully to participate in individual and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim, and content analysis was used to identify themes. Results revealed that pregnancy-related anxiety, maternal age, medical risk, perceived control (internal), and gestational age were significant predictors of perception of pregnancy risk accounting for 47-49% of the variance in risk perception. Maternal age interacted in a synergistic manner with pregnancy-related anxiety to increase perception of pregnancy risk levels. In the qualitative component, four main themes emerged from the data: definition of pregnancy risk, factors influencing risk perception, risk alleviation strategies, and risk communication with health professionals. Women of AMA perceived higher pregnancy risk for both themselves and their fetuses than younger women. However, they were not a homogenous group in their pregnancy risk appraisal. This study contributed to the field by proposing pregnancy-related anxiety as a pregnancy dread factor in risk perception theories. Risk communication is an important element of developing care plans for women of AMA and should be integrated into prenatal care visits.