THE MODERATING EFFECT OF FOOD NEOPHILIA ON CONSUMERS’ INTENTION TO USE INSECTS AS FOOD

Abstract

IN A WORLD WHERE SUSTAINABLE FOOD CHOICES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT, THIS STUDY EXPLORES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FOOD NEOPHILIA — THE DESIRE TO EXPERIMENT WITH NEW FOODS — AND PEOPLE'S WILLINGNESS TO INCLUDE INSECTS IN THEIR DIETS. USING THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR (TPB), OUR RESEARCH DELVES INTO HOW NEOPHILIA (NP) MODERATES RESPONDENTS’ ATTITUDE (ATT), SOCIAL NORMS (SN), AND PERCEIVED BEHAVIORAL CONTROL (PBC) CONCERNING THE ADOPTION OF INSECTS AS A FOOD SOURCE. THE ANALYSIS DRAWS FROM 160 SELF-ADMINISTERED SURVEYS AND EMPLOYS STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING. CONDUCTED IN THE CONTEXT OF MACAU SAR (CHINA), OUR STUDY REVEALS THE PIVOTAL ROLE THAT NEOPHILIA PLAYS IN SHAPING CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND INTENTIONS. NOTABLY, RESPONDENTS GENERALLY EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO EXPLORE NOVEL CULINARY EXPERIENCES. A POSITIVE MODERATING EFFECT OF NEOPHILIA ON ATTITUDES TOWARD INSECT CONSUMPTION IS OBSERVED, SUGGESTING THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGHER NEOPHILIA SCORES ARE MORE INCLINED TO HOLD FAVORABLE INTENTIONS REGARDING INSECTS AS FOOD. HOWEVER, NEOPHILIA'S INFLUENCE ON MODERATING SN AND PBC EXHIBITS CONTRASTING EFFECTS, IMPLYING THAT A STRONG INCLINATION FOR FOOD NEOPHILIA MAY NOT NECESSARILY LEADTO INCREASED SOCIAL PRESSURE OR PERCEIVED CONTROL IN ADOPTING INSECT-BASED DIETS. IN LIGHT OF THESE FINDINGS, THIS STUDY RECOMMENDS THAT PRACTITIONERS AND POLICYMAKERS PROMOTE INSECT CONSUMPTIONAS AN INNOVATIVE AND ADVENTUROUS MEANS OF ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION. WHILE THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON THE IMPACT OF FOOD NEOPHILIA ON PEOPLE'S INTENTION TO CONSUME INSECTS AS FOOD, THE STUDY UNDERSCORES THE URGENT NEED FOR DIVERSIFIED AND SUSTAINABLE DIETARY CHOICES TO ADDRESS ESCALATING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND SECURE A RESILIENT FOOD SUPPLY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.