Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing Concerns

COVID-19 drastically altered the way consumers shopped for food as they had to adhere to recommendations for social distancing. However, the public has been divided across political parties in their assessment of the severity of COVID-19 and must filter through misinformation related to the pandemic...

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Main Authors: Taylor K. Ruth, Quisto Settle, Joy N. Rumble
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mississippi State University 2023-01-01
Series:Journal of Human Sciences and Extension
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol11/iss2/1/
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author Taylor K. Ruth
Quisto Settle
Joy N. Rumble
author_facet Taylor K. Ruth
Quisto Settle
Joy N. Rumble
author_sort Taylor K. Ruth
collection DOAJ
description COVID-19 drastically altered the way consumers shopped for food as they had to adhere to recommendations for social distancing. However, the public has been divided across political parties in their assessment of the severity of COVID-19 and must filter through misinformation related to the pandemic to make informed choices for personal safety. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the influences on Oklahoma consumers’ risk information-seeking behaviors about COVID-19 within the context of risk perceptions while shopping for food. The Risk Information Seek and Processing (RISP) model and cultural cognition provided the framework for this study. An online instrument was distributed to Oklahoma consumers to collect quantitative data (n = 410). Respondents reported they were only slightly concerned while making food purchases and possessed moderately high knowledge about COVID-19. They also reported needing moderately high knowledge to make judgments about the issue. Additionally, the respondents engaged more often in systematic processing of COVID-19 information compared to heuristic processing, but neither agreed nor disagreed that they engaged in active information-seeking behaviors. The findings from this research provide Extension agents and agricultural communicators guidance for creating and researching risk communication during a pandemic in relation to food purchasing behaviors.
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spelling doaj.art-d0f869e45e864ba4aaabd5a1d4e5834b2023-09-29T17:58:21ZengMississippi State UniversityJournal of Human Sciences and Extension2325-52262023-01-01112https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1474Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing ConcernsTaylor K. Ruth 0Quisto Settle 1Joy N. Rumble 2University of Tennessee-Knoxville Oklahoma State University The Ohio State University COVID-19 drastically altered the way consumers shopped for food as they had to adhere to recommendations for social distancing. However, the public has been divided across political parties in their assessment of the severity of COVID-19 and must filter through misinformation related to the pandemic to make informed choices for personal safety. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the influences on Oklahoma consumers’ risk information-seeking behaviors about COVID-19 within the context of risk perceptions while shopping for food. The Risk Information Seek and Processing (RISP) model and cultural cognition provided the framework for this study. An online instrument was distributed to Oklahoma consumers to collect quantitative data (n = 410). Respondents reported they were only slightly concerned while making food purchases and possessed moderately high knowledge about COVID-19. They also reported needing moderately high knowledge to make judgments about the issue. Additionally, the respondents engaged more often in systematic processing of COVID-19 information compared to heuristic processing, but neither agreed nor disagreed that they engaged in active information-seeking behaviors. The findings from this research provide Extension agents and agricultural communicators guidance for creating and researching risk communication during a pandemic in relation to food purchasing behaviors.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol11/iss2/1/covid-19risk communicationinformation seeking and processingfood purchasespandemic
spellingShingle Taylor K. Ruth
Quisto Settle
Joy N. Rumble
Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing Concerns
Journal of Human Sciences and Extension
covid-19
risk communication
information seeking and processing
food purchases
pandemic
title Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing Concerns
title_full Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing Concerns
title_fullStr Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing Concerns
title_full_unstemmed Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing Concerns
title_short Predicting COVID-19 Risk Information-Seeking Behaviors in Relation to Food Purchasing Concerns
title_sort predicting covid 19 risk information seeking behaviors in relation to food purchasing concerns
topic covid-19
risk communication
information seeking and processing
food purchases
pandemic
url https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/jhse/vol11/iss2/1/
work_keys_str_mv AT taylorkruth predictingcovid19riskinformationseekingbehaviorsinrelationtofoodpurchasingconcerns
AT quistosettle predictingcovid19riskinformationseekingbehaviorsinrelationtofoodpurchasingconcerns
AT joynrumble predictingcovid19riskinformationseekingbehaviorsinrelationtofoodpurchasingconcerns