The same concerns werenot expressed for other hazard types.For example, in
the caseof BSE,concernaboutanimalwelfaredominated perceptions. Genetic
modificationof foodwaslinkedto concern aboutthe environmentand the
potentialfor unintended effects.NeitherBSEnor genetic modificationwas
associatedwithperceptionsthat wereapparentlyoptimisticallybiased.
In addition,it is importantto rememberthat individualdifferences in risk
perceptionsmaybe quiteextensive (Barnettand Breakwell, 2001). Affectiveor
emotionalfactors,suchas `worry',mayinfluenceperceivedrisk (Baronet al.,
2000).Personalitycorrelates suchas `anxiety' may also be influential(Bouyeret
al., 2001). Differencesin perceptionsof risk and benefit associatedwithvarious
hazards exist between different countries and cultures, between different
individuals, and evenwithindifferentindividualsat differenttimesand within
differentcontexts (Burger et al., 2001).For example, women are typically
reporting higherrisk perceptionsthan men acrossa rangeof different healthand
environmenthazards (Dosmanet al., 2001).Thismayresult in greaterrisk-
takingbehaviourbeingexhibitedby menmore generally.6.4 Developingan effectiverisk communication strategy
In the caseof communication aboutfood-handlingpractices,the ultimate goal
is to improve publichealth through persuading consumers to adopt more
appropriatedomestic hygienepractices. As a consequence, communicators need
to understand how the public perceives risk and hazards to facilitatethe
structuringof risk-relatedmessages in sucha way that consumers changetheir
attitudesaboutthe risks.If we adoptthe socialpsychologicalidea that attitudes
are the proximal causesfor behaviour(Ajzen, 1991),changing attitudesshould
also leadto changes in the riskybehaviour. Therefore,the variousmodels of
attitudechangemayprovide insights into howthis maybe accomplished.In
persuasionresearch it was noted that to processthe supplied informationas
fully as possible,a lot of cognitive effortis required(Cacioppoand Petty,
1982).It was found that whennot muchcognitive effort was applied to
processingthe information,attitudes changed in a different wayfromwhen
more effortwas made.6.4.1 Dual-processmodels
This realisation lead to the construction of dual-processing models of
persuasion,suchas the elaborationlikelihoodmodel (Cacioppoet al., 1986).
The elaborationlikelihoodmodel posits thatlong-termattitudechange will
occuronlyif the person receiving the messagecarefullyand thoughtfully
assessesits arguments,following whatis describedas the central routeto
informationprocessing. Whenthere is no motivationor cognitive ability to
process the information, the communicationwill not be processedin suchan
elaboratewayand will followa peripheral route to processing.The peripheral
108 Handbookof hygiene controlin the foodindustry