This thesis aims to increase understanding of New Zealand consumer reactions to messages promoting genetically modified food products (GMFs) and to determine how the manipulation of three persuasion variables, message sidedness, source credibility and inward vs. outward focus impact upon consumer attitudes. To achieve this aim, the study integrated two frameworks, Bredahl's, (2001) determinants of attitudes towards GMFs and Wansink and Kim's, (2001) strategies for educating consumers about GMFs, into a new model. To empirically examine the model, a web-based experiment using a 2x2x2 between-subjects factorial design was conducted. The experiment exposed participants to one of eight treatment groups containing a promotional message for Genetically Modified foods. The participants then completed an on-line questionnaire detailing their responses to the messages. A total of 380 useable questionnaires were collected from a national sample of consumers and analysed using ANCOVA. The results of the study suggest that the outwardly focused, two-sided message was more powerful at lowering perceptions of risks, raising perceptions of benefits and positively influencing attitudes toward the ad than either the one-sided, outwardly focused message, or the inwardly focused messages of either sidedness condition. For purchase intentions individual differences appeared to be of greater influence than message factors.

In this research consumers attitudes towards general food safety and their perceptions of the safety of beef in Japan and Canada are examined. Risk perceptions, the willingness to pay for beef traceability from farm to final consumer and the willingness to pay for animal testing for bovine spongifrom encephalopothy (BSE) are measured through a stated preference exercise, provided as part of national surveys in each country. Japanese respondents continue to have higher risk attitudes and perceptions about beef than Canadian respondents in 2009 as compared to 2006. In each country survey respondents strongly prefer domestic beef over imports from any other country. However, interest in beef from other countries increases as full traceability, or one hundred % animal testing for BSE or both attributes are incorporated into the markets. The willingness to pay increases at a diminishing rate, from either traceability or BSE animal testing to both attributes. In latent class models the Japanese data suggest that there are three distinct classes of survey respondents, where class 1 respondents are characterized as being more trusting and willing to pay for beef from different countries, class 2 respondents strongly prefer domestic beef and their willingness to pay for imported beef does not increase with traceability or animal testing and class 3 respondents would only be willing to pay for traceable and a combination of traceable and animal tested domestic beef. Similarly, Canadian survey respondents can be segregated into two classes. Class 1 consumers are more trusting and will be willing to pay for both domestic and imported beef. Class 2 consumers are more cautious. / Agricultural and Resource Economics

O tema da valorização de alimentos tradicionais e artesanais tem recebido redobrada atenção no momento atual, em que, por um lado, há crescente demanda de consumidores por alimentos naturais, artesanais, diferenciados e, por outro lado e ao mesmo tempo, realiza-se discussão significativa no que tange a critérios de produção e avaliação desses produtos que, dadas as especificidades, têm suas características comprometidas se avaliados de acordo com os mesmos critérios que regem a produção industrial de alimentos. É nesse contexto que a presente pesquisa está inserida. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foi tomado como objeto de estudo o Queijo Serrano, queijo tradicional feito artesanalmente a partir de leite cru nos Campos de Cima da Serra, região nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul. Os dados empíricos foram obtidos a partir de pesquisa etnográfica, que priorizou especialmente produtores e consumidores como interlocutores, mas também técnicos e comerciantes de queijo. A análise dos dados obtidos proporcionou elementos para discutir a relação entre os modos de vida dos produtores e a produção de queijo, para apreender as práticas, significados e lógicas associadas à produção, bem como aos utensílios empregados e ao próprio uso de leite cru para a elaboração do produto. No que diz respeito ao consumo de Queijo Serrano, o estudo discute as percepções de risco dos moradores da região em relação ao produto e, ainda, as relações por meio das quais os queijos são comercializados, costumeiramente fundamentadas na reputação dos produtores e em relações de proximidade. Mudanças em curso na região têm, com maior ou menor intensidade, resultado em alterações nos modos de produção, o que pode até mesmo afetar a manutenção de características que conferem singularidade ao Queijo Serrano. Evidenciando a relevância da legitimação de conhecimentos empregados na produção tradicional de alimentos, este estudo busca contribuir para a valorização e proteção desse tipo de produção, associada não apenas à manutenção da renda como também à salvaguarda dos modos de produzir esses alimentos e dos modos de vida das famílias produtoras. / The debate on the valorisation of traditional and artisanal food has been receiving increased attention recently. While there is growing consumer demand for natural, artisanal and unique foods, simultaneously, there is a significant discussion about the criteria used to assess these products which, given their singularity, can compromise their features if they are evaluated according to the same criteria which regulate industrial food production This research was conducted taking into account this context. For the development of this study, Serrano Cheese was taken as the object of research; this is a handmade traditional cheese made from raw milk and produced in Campos de Cima da Serra, a region located in the northeast area of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. Empirical data were obtained from ethnographic research which prioritised information especially from producers and consumers but also from technicians and cheese sellers. The data analysis provided elements to discuss the relationship between producers’ lifestyles and cheese production; and to capture the practices, meanings and logics associated with the production and with the equipment, the tools and the raw milk employed in the production of the cheese. Regarding the consumption of Serrano Cheese, the study discusses the risk perceptions of local inhabitants in relation to the product, and the channels through which the cheeses are sold, usually based on the reputation of the producers and on close relationships. Changes in progress in the region, to varying degrees, have been resulting in alterations in the production methods, which can even affect the maintenance of those characteristics which make Serrano Cheese unique. By evidencing the significance of the knowledge legitimation employed in traditional food production, this study aims to contribute towards the enhancement and protection of this sort of production, which in turn is associated not only with the income maintenance but also with the safeguarding of the production methods and the lifestyle of producer families.

No description available.

O tema da valorização de alimentos tradicionais e artesanais tem recebido redobrada atenção no momento atual, em que, por um lado, há crescente demanda de consumidores por alimentos naturais, artesanais, diferenciados e, por outro lado e ao mesmo tempo, realiza-se discussão significativa no que tange a critérios de produção e avaliação desses produtos que, dadas as especificidades, têm suas características comprometidas se avaliados de acordo com os mesmos critérios que regem a produção industrial de alimentos. É nesse contexto que a presente pesquisa está inserida. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foi tomado como objeto de estudo o Queijo Serrano, queijo tradicional feito artesanalmente a partir de leite cru nos Campos de Cima da Serra, região nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul. Os dados empíricos foram obtidos a partir de pesquisa etnográfica, que priorizou especialmente produtores e consumidores como interlocutores, mas também técnicos e comerciantes de queijo. A análise dos dados obtidos proporcionou elementos para discutir a relação entre os modos de vida dos produtores e a produção de queijo, para apreender as práticas, significados e lógicas associadas à produção, bem como aos utensílios empregados e ao próprio uso de leite cru para a elaboração do produto. No que diz respeito ao consumo de Queijo Serrano, o estudo discute as percepções de risco dos moradores da região em relação ao produto e, ainda, as relações por meio das quais os queijos são comercializados, costumeiramente fundamentadas na reputação dos produtores e em relações de proximidade. Mudanças em curso na região têm, com maior ou menor intensidade, resultado em alterações nos modos de produção, o que pode até mesmo afetar a manutenção de características que conferem singularidade ao Queijo Serrano. Evidenciando a relevância da legitimação de conhecimentos empregados na produção tradicional de alimentos, este estudo busca contribuir para a valorização e proteção desse tipo de produção, associada não apenas à manutenção da renda como também à salvaguarda dos modos de produzir esses alimentos e dos modos de vida das famílias produtoras. / The debate on the valorisation of traditional and artisanal food has been receiving increased attention recently. While there is growing consumer demand for natural, artisanal and unique foods, simultaneously, there is a significant discussion about the criteria used to assess these products which, given their singularity, can compromise their features if they are evaluated according to the same criteria which regulate industrial food production This research was conducted taking into account this context. For the development of this study, Serrano Cheese was taken as the object of research; this is a handmade traditional cheese made from raw milk and produced in Campos de Cima da Serra, a region located in the northeast area of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. Empirical data were obtained from ethnographic research which prioritised information especially from producers and consumers but also from technicians and cheese sellers. The data analysis provided elements to discuss the relationship between producers’ lifestyles and cheese production; and to capture the practices, meanings and logics associated with the production and with the equipment, the tools and the raw milk employed in the production of the cheese. Regarding the consumption of Serrano Cheese, the study discusses the risk perceptions of local inhabitants in relation to the product, and the channels through which the cheeses are sold, usually based on the reputation of the producers and on close relationships. Changes in progress in the region, to varying degrees, have been resulting in alterations in the production methods, which can even affect the maintenance of those characteristics which make Serrano Cheese unique. By evidencing the significance of the knowledge legitimation employed in traditional food production, this study aims to contribute towards the enhancement and protection of this sort of production, which in turn is associated not only with the income maintenance but also with the safeguarding of the production methods and the lifestyle of producer families.

O tema da valorização de alimentos tradicionais e artesanais tem recebido redobrada atenção no momento atual, em que, por um lado, há crescente demanda de consumidores por alimentos naturais, artesanais, diferenciados e, por outro lado e ao mesmo tempo, realiza-se discussão significativa no que tange a critérios de produção e avaliação desses produtos que, dadas as especificidades, têm suas características comprometidas se avaliados de acordo com os mesmos critérios que regem a produção industrial de alimentos. É nesse contexto que a presente pesquisa está inserida. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foi tomado como objeto de estudo o Queijo Serrano, queijo tradicional feito artesanalmente a partir de leite cru nos Campos de Cima da Serra, região nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul. Os dados empíricos foram obtidos a partir de pesquisa etnográfica, que priorizou especialmente produtores e consumidores como interlocutores, mas também técnicos e comerciantes de queijo. A análise dos dados obtidos proporcionou elementos para discutir a relação entre os modos de vida dos produtores e a produção de queijo, para apreender as práticas, significados e lógicas associadas à produção, bem como aos utensílios empregados e ao próprio uso de leite cru para a elaboração do produto. No que diz respeito ao consumo de Queijo Serrano, o estudo discute as percepções de risco dos moradores da região em relação ao produto e, ainda, as relações por meio das quais os queijos são comercializados, costumeiramente fundamentadas na reputação dos produtores e em relações de proximidade. Mudanças em curso na região têm, com maior ou menor intensidade, resultado em alterações nos modos de produção, o que pode até mesmo afetar a manutenção de características que conferem singularidade ao Queijo Serrano. Evidenciando a relevância da legitimação de conhecimentos empregados na produção tradicional de alimentos, este estudo busca contribuir para a valorização e proteção desse tipo de produção, associada não apenas à manutenção da renda como também à salvaguarda dos modos de produzir esses alimentos e dos modos de vida das famílias produtoras. / The debate on the valorisation of traditional and artisanal food has been receiving increased attention recently. While there is growing consumer demand for natural, artisanal and unique foods, simultaneously, there is a significant discussion about the criteria used to assess these products which, given their singularity, can compromise their features if they are evaluated according to the same criteria which regulate industrial food production This research was conducted taking into account this context. For the development of this study, Serrano Cheese was taken as the object of research; this is a handmade traditional cheese made from raw milk and produced in Campos de Cima da Serra, a region located in the northeast area of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. Empirical data were obtained from ethnographic research which prioritised information especially from producers and consumers but also from technicians and cheese sellers. The data analysis provided elements to discuss the relationship between producers’ lifestyles and cheese production; and to capture the practices, meanings and logics associated with the production and with the equipment, the tools and the raw milk employed in the production of the cheese. Regarding the consumption of Serrano Cheese, the study discusses the risk perceptions of local inhabitants in relation to the product, and the channels through which the cheeses are sold, usually based on the reputation of the producers and on close relationships. Changes in progress in the region, to varying degrees, have been resulting in alterations in the production methods, which can even affect the maintenance of those characteristics which make Serrano Cheese unique. By evidencing the significance of the knowledge legitimation employed in traditional food production, this study aims to contribute towards the enhancement and protection of this sort of production, which in turn is associated not only with the income maintenance but also with the safeguarding of the production methods and the lifestyle of producer families.

Objectifs : (1) Explorer et analyser les perceptions individuelles des risques de cancers toutes causes confondues et liés aux facteurs environnementaux. (2) Investiguer les liens entre ces perceptions et l'adoption de comportements en santé. (3) Identifier et analyser les déterminants de ces perceptions. Méthodes : Revues de la littérature empirique et théorique, étude qualitative auprès de personnes avec et sans antécédent(s) de cancer, étude quantitative auprès d'un échantillon représentatif de la population française. Résultats : (1) Les risques de cancers liés aux facteurs environnementaux sont un sujet de préoccupation. Une part importante des participants se percoit notamment à risque de développer des cancers liés à la pollution de l'air, aux pesticides et au stress. (2) Les adoptions de comportements en santé sont parfois associées aux perceptions des risques mais sont plus souvent associées à l'adhérence à des croyances relatives à la prévention et aux préférences visà- vis du temps et du risque. Prendre en compte l'endogénéité impacte fortement la significativié des associations entre perceptions et comportements. (3) L'adhérence à des croyances relatives aux cancers et la saillance des risques de cancers liés à l'environnement déterminent plus fortement les perceptions que les heuristiques d'affect et de disponibilité, la connaissance, le contrôle perçu et la volonté perçue des expositions aux risques, l'histoire personnelle de santé et les caractéristiques sociodémographiques. Discussion : Nos résultats, cohérents avec la littérature, permettent de mieux comprendre les perceptions individuelles des risques et peuvent servir de support au développement de politiques ciblées de santé publique / Objectives: (1) To explore and analyze individuals’ perceptions of their own cancers’ risks in general and stemming from environmental factors. (2) To investigate their relationships with individuals’ adoption of health-related behaviors. (3) To identify and analyze the determinants of these perceptions. Methods: A theoretical and an empirical literature reviews, an exploratory qualitative study among individuals with and without personal cancer history and a confirmatory quantitative study among a representative sample of the French population have been conducted. Results: (1) Cancers’ risks stemming from environmental factors are a subject of concern among French people. In particular, more than half of our sample perceived themselves at risk to develop cancers stemming from outdoor air pollution, pesticides and stress. (2) Individuals’ adoptions of health-related behaviors can be associated with their risk perceptions, but are more associated with their endorsement of prevention-related beliefs, and their time and risk preferences. Endogeneity strongly impacts the significance of associations between perceptions and behaviors. (3) Endorsement of cancers-related beliefs and salience of cancers’ risks stemming from environmental factors determine more strongly individuals’ risk perceptions than availability and affect heuristics, knowledge, perceived control and voluntariness of risk exposures, personal health history and socio-demographic characteristics. Discussion: Our results, consistent with the literature, bring new outcomes helpful to better understand individuals’ risk perceptions and to design targeted public health policies