Survey reveals high information seeking and systematic processing of CRISPR-edited pork among U.S. consumers, highlighting the value of multi-channel communication.
Key Points
To investigate the psychological and channel-related factors driving information seeking, avoidance, and cognitive processing of CRISPR-edited pork among consumers using the Risk Information Seeking and Processing model.
Conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey of U.S. consumers (n = 2,006).
Assessed information sufficiency thresholds, channel beliefs (news, social media, and Extension), perceived information gathering capacity, information seeking, avoidance, and processing styles (systematic vs. heuristic).
Higher information sufficiency thresholds were associated with greater information seeking and lower information avoidance, while information seeking correlated strongly with systematic cognitive processing.
Respondents showed high overall intentions to seek information, low avoidance tendencies, and significantly greater reliance on systematic analytical processing than on heuristic processing.
Information seeking was positively associated with news and social media channel beliefs but negatively associated with Extension beliefs, while higher education levels and older age predicted reduced information avoidance.