Perceptions of nutrigenomics  : affect, cognition & behavioral intention

Public support is an important and necessary condition for the successful introduction of a new technology and its applications in society. If nutrigenomics technology can be used to predict diseases and prescribe preventive diets based on a person’s genetic profile, it is important to understand the people’s intention to adopt such personalized diets. In this dissertation research, intentions regarding the adoption of nutrigenomics were examined next to the role of potentially influential psychological determinants of a person’s decision to adopt applications of nutrigenomics technology. A systematic review revealed the key determinants, which were than tested in three different models using different structural equation modeling methodologies and different research designs. The public perception research in the field of the emerging technology genomics is, as yet, not well advanced. This dissertation is one of the first attempts to fill the gap of our understanding of the socio-psychological process that leads to the intention to adopt applications of the emerging food technology nutrigenomics. The findings support the affect heuristic: an individual tends to rely more on his or her affective response when forming an intention to adopt, for example, personalized nutrition, as compared to a cognitive process linked to rationality. Involvement or personal relevance of the technology is an important predictor for both the affective and cognitive processes. Trust, a determinant frequently studied in the last decade, is a good predictor of cost and benefit perceptions, and, has less influence on the intention to adopt an emerging technology than was expected. When introducing a new technology, under the conditions of public support, the personal relevance of the applications of the new technology should be addressed. A proactive policy approach can stimulate the development of applications of a technology that are personally relevant for individuals and therefore are positively valued.