When new products enter the market consumers have to weigh benefits, risks and costs in deciding whether to purchase them. Information seeking, information processing and sharing information with others all contribute to consumers taking a well informed decision. While there is ample research on risk information seeking and processing, there is as yet hardly any scientific knowledge on the factors that shape online risk information sharing. To assist risk communicators in facilitating consumer informed decision making, more information is needed to understand the processes that lead to information sharing through social media.
In recent years, nanotechnology has been introduced in the agro-food sector. Focusing on the risks of nanotechnology in food products, this study aimed to develop and test a model that describes the processes that result in the sharing of risk information on these products.
The model was based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Risk Information Seeking and Processing model and the broader risk perception and communication literature. A cross-sectional survey has been carried out among a representative sample of adults > 18 years of age in the Netherlands (n = 511). Attitude, self-efficacy and subjective norms in relation to information sharing were measured, as were information need, information seeking, trust, risk perception and anxiety in relation to the application of nanotechnology in food products. All variables were measured reliably.
Structural equation modelling has been applied to analyse the data. The hypothesized model fitted the data well. Results showed subjective norms to be the main determinant of information sharing: the higher the individual’s perceived expectations among their social connections regarding the online sharing of risk information, the more the individual engaged in information sharing behaviour. Other variables, such as attitude, also contributed to information sharing behaviour.
Results will be presented and implications for risk communication and the facilitation of informed decision making will be discussed.