Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels: Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors

Publikation: Working paperForskning

Standard

Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels : Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors. / Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina; Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan; Nordström, Leif Jonas.

AgriFood Economics Centre, 2020.

Publikation: Working paperForskning

Harvard

Edenbrandt, AK, Lagerkvist, C-J & Nordström, LJ 2020 'Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels: Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors' AgriFood Economics Centre. <https://swopec.hhs.se/luagri/abs/luagri2020_001.htm>

APA

Edenbrandt, A. K., Lagerkvist, C-J., & Nordström, L. J. (2020). Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels: Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors. AgriFood Economics Centre. AgriFood Economics Centre Working Paper Nr. 2020:1 https://swopec.hhs.se/luagri/abs/luagri2020_001.htm

Vancouver

Edenbrandt AK, Lagerkvist C-J, Nordström LJ. Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels: Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors. AgriFood Economics Centre. 2020.

Author

Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina ; Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan ; Nordström, Leif Jonas. / Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels : Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors. AgriFood Economics Centre, 2020. (AgriFood Economics Centre Working Paper; Nr. 2020:1).

Bibtex

@techreport{8ad112943f8a4743b8d07ff41549e53a,
title = "Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels: Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors",
abstract = "Active avoidance of information is gaining attention in behavioral sciences, and recently also its{\textquoteright} relevance from an economic theory perspective. We explore motivations and policy implications of active avoidance of carbon emission information. In a stated preference survey respondents were asked to indicate if they wished to access carbon emission information (info-takers) or not (info-decliners) when selecting protein source in a first stage. In a second stage all respondents were provided carbon emission information. The info-takers reduced their CO2-emissions from their food choices with 32%, while the info-decliners also reduced their CO2 emissions (12%). This provides evidence of active information avoidance among at least some info-decliners. We explore cognitive dissonance and responsibility feelings and personal norms as motivations for actively avoiding carbon emission information on meat products, and how these motivations affect the reaction if imposed information. Our results show that carbon emission information increases choice task uncertainty most among individuals that experience climate related cognitive dissonance and/or responsibility feelings. These findings point to the potential of carbon emission information as a measure for changing food consumption towards less carbon emitting products. The study also highlights the importance of how the information is provided and presented. ",
keywords = "Faculty of Social Sciences, Climate label, information avoidance, cognitive dissonance, carbon emission reduction, consumer behavior, strategic avoidance",
author = "Edenbrandt, {Anna Kristina} and Carl-Johan Lagerkvist and Nordstr{\"o}m, {Leif Jonas}",
year = "2020",
language = "English",
series = "AgriFood Economics Centre Working Paper",
number = "2020:1",
publisher = "AgriFood Economics Centre",
type = "WorkingPaper",
institution = "AgriFood Economics Centre",

}

RIS

TY - UNPB

T1 - Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels

T2 - Cognitive dissonance and ascription of responsibility as motivating factors

AU - Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina

AU - Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan

AU - Nordström, Leif Jonas

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Active avoidance of information is gaining attention in behavioral sciences, and recently also its’ relevance from an economic theory perspective. We explore motivations and policy implications of active avoidance of carbon emission information. In a stated preference survey respondents were asked to indicate if they wished to access carbon emission information (info-takers) or not (info-decliners) when selecting protein source in a first stage. In a second stage all respondents were provided carbon emission information. The info-takers reduced their CO2-emissions from their food choices with 32%, while the info-decliners also reduced their CO2 emissions (12%). This provides evidence of active information avoidance among at least some info-decliners. We explore cognitive dissonance and responsibility feelings and personal norms as motivations for actively avoiding carbon emission information on meat products, and how these motivations affect the reaction if imposed information. Our results show that carbon emission information increases choice task uncertainty most among individuals that experience climate related cognitive dissonance and/or responsibility feelings. These findings point to the potential of carbon emission information as a measure for changing food consumption towards less carbon emitting products. The study also highlights the importance of how the information is provided and presented.

AB - Active avoidance of information is gaining attention in behavioral sciences, and recently also its’ relevance from an economic theory perspective. We explore motivations and policy implications of active avoidance of carbon emission information. In a stated preference survey respondents were asked to indicate if they wished to access carbon emission information (info-takers) or not (info-decliners) when selecting protein source in a first stage. In a second stage all respondents were provided carbon emission information. The info-takers reduced their CO2-emissions from their food choices with 32%, while the info-decliners also reduced their CO2 emissions (12%). This provides evidence of active information avoidance among at least some info-decliners. We explore cognitive dissonance and responsibility feelings and personal norms as motivations for actively avoiding carbon emission information on meat products, and how these motivations affect the reaction if imposed information. Our results show that carbon emission information increases choice task uncertainty most among individuals that experience climate related cognitive dissonance and/or responsibility feelings. These findings point to the potential of carbon emission information as a measure for changing food consumption towards less carbon emitting products. The study also highlights the importance of how the information is provided and presented.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Climate label

KW - information avoidance

KW - cognitive dissonance

KW - carbon emission reduction

KW - consumer behavior

KW - strategic avoidance

M3 - Working paper

T3 - AgriFood Economics Centre Working Paper

BT - Interested, indifferent or active information avoider of climate labels

PB - AgriFood Economics Centre

ER -

ID: 237706254