Consumer Behavior, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich, Universitaetstrasse 22, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
Consumer Behavior, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich, Universitaetstrasse 22, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2020 Jun;140:111390. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111390. Epub 2020 Apr 26.
This study investigated the effect of two communication strategies (informational and affect-based) in reducing chemophobia, the irrational fear of chemicals. In an online experiment, participants (N = 448) were randomly assigned to one of three groups ("control", "knowledge", or "affect" group). The following dependent variables were assessed: chemophobia, knowledge of basic toxicological principles, affect towards chemicals, benefit perception of the use of chemicals, and preference for natural substitutes in consumer products. The results showed that only the informational approach, which conveys knowledge of basic toxicological principles, significantly decreased chemophobia and the preference for natural substitutes in consumer products. The affect-based approach significantly increased positive affect towards chemicals and the benefit perception of their use, but did not decrease chemophobia. This suggested that the provision of relevant information about basic toxicological principles is a more effective strategy than merely addressing laypeople's affect towards chemicals to reduce chemophobia. Relevant knowledge could be taught in schools or disseminated by toxicologists and scientists who are trusted by the public.
本研究旨在探讨两种沟通策略（信息型和情感型）对减少化学恐惧症（对化学物质的非理性恐惧）的效果。在一项在线实验中，参与者（N=448）被随机分配到三个组之一（“对照组”、“知识组”或“情感组”）。评估了以下因变量：化学恐惧症、基本毒理学原理知识、对化学物质的情感、对化学物质使用的益处感知以及对消费品中天然替代品的偏好。结果表明，只有信息型方法，即传达基本毒理学原理知识，才能显著降低化学恐惧症和对消费品中天然替代品的偏好。情感型方法显著增加了对化学物质的积极情感和对其使用的益处感知，但并未降低化学恐惧症。这表明，提供有关基本毒理学原理的相关信息是一种比仅仅解决公众对化学物质的情感更有效的策略，以减少化学恐惧症。相关知识可以在学校教授，也可以由公众信任的毒理学家和科学家传播。
