The effect of nudging on the acceptance of insect-based food : The moderating roles of physical activity and food neophobia

Details

Supervisors

Luminet, Olivier

Faculty

Faculté de psychologie, logopédie, sexologie et des sciences de la famille

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences psychologiques, à finalité approfondie

Abstract

enThis master's thesis investigates the effectiveness of a type-2 nudging intervention, in this case, the addition of a logo indicating high protein content, on Western consumers' intention to try insect-based foods. Additionally, the study examines whether this effect is moderated by individual differences in physical activity and food neophobia. A total of 130 participants completed an online questionnaire, which included demographic questions, measures of physical activity (including the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale), the Food Neophobia Scale, and indicating their intention to try five insect-based products, either presented with or without a logo indicating a high level of protein depending on the condition. The results showed no significant difference in the intention to try between the nudged and control conditions, nor between physically active and non-active participants. However, food neophobia emerged once again as a strong negative moderator of the intention to try (Kröger et al., 2022), and emotions such as disgust and curiosity were significantly correlated with acceptance, replicating findings from prior literature (Kröger et al., 2022; Stone et al., 2022). These results suggest that nudging alone may be insufficient when strong psychological barriers are present. This study put to light the importance of addressing emotional and cognitive resistance, such as food neophobia, before implementing behavioral strategies like nudging. Finally, it contributes to the growing body of research on sustainable food sources and offers insights for future interventions aiming to promote novel food in Western diets.