Browsing by Author "Anttila, Joonas"

Objectives Attitudes towards natural products are remarkably positive considering the limited evidence for their benefits . Our current understanding of these attitudes is mainly limited to studies of demographic factors and reasons for consumption. Research on the cognitive, affective and motivational factors underlying the attitudes is scant. In this study, the relation of the following cognitive and affective-motivational factors to attitudes towards natural food and cosmetics was examined: intuitive thinking (REIm), analytical thinking (REIm, CRT), open-minded cognition (OMC-G), belief in health myths, modern health worries (MHW), disgust sensitivity, avoidance motivation (BIS) and approach motivation (BAS). Methods A browser-based survey (application: E-lomake) was distributed online and self-administered on a personal device. The 317 participants were aged 16–71 years, and 74.4% were women. The participants reported their attitudes by means of a semantic-differential evaluation of natural food and cosmetics, and an estimate of their use of these products. Various self -report scales and tasks were used to assess cognitive and affective-motivational factors. The factors were used to predict semantic-differential evaluation with linear regression and product use with ordinal regression, controlling for age, gender, education and diet. Results and conclusions Modern health worries and intuitive thinking were the best predictors of positive attitudes towards natural food and cosmetics; for the other factors, only sporadic, weaker associations were observed. Based on these results, the appeal of natural products can be partly explained by a tendency to trust intuitions and feelings when evaluating products, and appraisals of health risks in the production of food and cosmetics. Both the general style of cognitive processing and the emotions and motives affecting it are important for understanding the psychological background of attitudes towards natural products.