Trust in Authorities Monitoring the Distribution of Genetically Modified Foods: Dimensionality, Measurement Issues, and Determinants

Based on a combined internet and mail survey in Germany the independence of indicators of trust in public authorities from indicators of attitudes toward genetically modified food is tested. Despite evidence of a link between trust indicators on the one hand and evaluation of benefits and perceived likelihoods of risks, correlation with other factors is found to be moderate on average. But the trust indicators exhibit only a moderate relation with the respondents' preference for either sole public control or a cooperation of public and private bodies in the monitoring of GM food distribution. Instead, age and location in either the New or the Old Lander are found to be significantly related with such preferences.consumer trust, genetically modified foods, monitoring, food safety, Agricultural and Food Policy, D18, Z13,

Consumer trust and willingness to pay for certified animal-friendly products

Increasing animal welfare standards requires changes along the supply chain which involve several stakeholders: scientists, farmers and people involved in transportation and slaughtering. The majority of researchers agree that compliance with these standards increases costs along the livestock value chain, especially for monitoring and certifying animal-friendly products. Knowledge of consumer willingness to pay (WTP) in such a decision context is paramount to understanding the magnitude of market incentives necessary to compensate all involved stakeholders. The market outcome of certification programs is dependent on consumer trust. Particularly, there is a need to understand to what extent consumers believe that stakeholders operating in the animal-friendly supply chain will respect certification standards. We examine these issues using a contingent valuation survey administered in five economically dominant EU countries. The implied WTP estimates are found to be sensitive to robust measures of consumer trust for certified animal-friendly products. Significant differences across countries are discussed

NEW CONCEPTS AND MEANINGS OF SLOW. The case of Slow Art

The present study explores new meanings and values of the word slow in the context of Slow Art Day, a global event that takes place once a year and whose aim is to encourage both visitors and museum curators to engage with art in new and different ways. Since 1989 and the early days of Carlo Petrini’s Slow Food Movement, the concept of slowness has become a relevant and ethical topic that is often related to what is organic, local and sustainable. While the notion and impact of slowness have been studied in different areas such as food (Petrini 2003), media (Rauch 2011), medicine (Wear et al. 2015) and education (O’Neill 2014), museums are yet to be investigated in depth. Through the lens of Appraisal Theory (Martin, White 2005) and corpus linguistics (Sinclair 2004), I focus on a diachronic study of the language of evaluation adopted in the Slow Art Day official blog, which keeps a record of the reports of the museums that take part in the yearly event. By using both a quantitative and qualitative approach, I focus on how appraisal is used to enhance and promote the new and different semantic dimensions related to slowness. My analysis of the Slow Art Day blog will illustrate how slowness is no longer related to the semantic dimension of Time, but also to those of Wellbeing and Inclusiveness, while a close study of evaluative language will show how these dimensions are interconnected to one another

Preferences, trust and willingness to pay for food information: An analysis of the Italian Market

Lack of consumer trust and communication strategies are probably the main determinants of information failure in modern food markets. This study attempts to tackle these aspects affecting the quality of food information by investigating questions related to what topics are more relevant to consumers, who should disseminate trustful food information, and how communication should be conveyed. Primary data were collected both through qualitative (in depth interviews and focus groups) and quantitative research. Quantitative research was conducted by means of a questionnaire administered in 2006-2007 to a sample of Italian respondents using both a web and a traditional mail survey. Reading preferences, willingness to pay and trust towards public and private sources conveying information through a hypothetical food magazine were assessed combining factor analysis, choice modelling and a criterion-based market segmentation. The study shows that reading preferences of Italian consumers can be summarized along three dimensions: agro-food system, enjoyment and wellness. Furthermore, willingness to pay for receiving food-related information is influenced by trust towards the type of publisher, which plays also a key role in market segmentation together with socio-demographic and economic variables such as gender, age, presence of children and income. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.food information, trust, preference heterogeneity, segmentation, Italy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, D12, D18, D89, Q18,

Do Consumers Want Public or Private Bodies to Monitor Animal Friendly Production and Marketing Schemes? And Does Trust Matter?

Producing according to enhanced farm animal welfare (FAW) standards increases costs along the livestock value chain, especially for monitoring certified animal friendly products. In the choice between public or private bodies for carrying out and monitoring certification, consumer preferences and trust play a role. We explore this issue by applying logit analysis involving socio-economic and psychometric variables to survey data from Italy. Results identify marked consumer preferences for public bodies and trust in stakeholders a key determinant.animal welfare standards, certification, consumer trust, monitoring, stated choice, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Livestock Production/Industries,

Farm Animal Welfare, Consumer Willingness to Pay, and Trust: Results of a Cross-National Survey

Higher animal welfare standards increase costs along the supply chain of certified animal-friendly products (AFP). Since the market outcome of certified AFP depends on consumer confidence toward supply chain operators complying with these standards, the role of trust in consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for AFP is paramount. Results from a contingent valuation survey administered in five European Union countries show that WTP estimates were sensitive to robust measures of consumer trust for certified AFP. Deriving the WTP effect of a single food category on total food expenditure is difficult for survey respondents; hence, a budget approach was employed to facilitate this process.Animal welfare, certification, consumer trust, WTP, budget approach, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries, C81, Q13, Q18,

The Effects of Altered Auditory Feedback (AAF) on Fluency in Adults Who Stutter: A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: Stuttering affects 70 million people worldwide, which is about 1% of the population. Altered auditory feedback (AAF) is a process by which an individual’s auditory speech signal is electronically changed to temporarily increase the fluency of a person who stutters. For the purpose of this systematic review, AAF includes delayed auditory feedback (DAF) and frequency-altered feedback (FAF). This systematic review examines fluency enhancement in adults who stutter when using AAF devices. Methods: A review of the literature was searched using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases with key search terms related to stuttering and AAF. Inclusion criteria included: 1) adults ages ≥ 18 years old who stutter, 2) comparison of altered auditory feedback forms and/or no altered auditory feedback forms in the treatment of stuttering, 3) inclusion of DAF or FAF, 4) outcomes related to aspects of stuttering or people who stutter (e.g., fluency level, speech naturalness, speech rate), and 5) experimental research. Studies were quality assessed and rated by the authors. Results: A total of 16 articles were included in this review. Articles were of ‘moderate’ quality. Conclusions: AAF devices are generally effective in reducing stuttering frequency, with most notable fluency enhancement occurring during oral reading. The degree of fluency enhancement between individuals who stutter is variable and is influenced by factors such as stuttering severity. While research generally supports the use of AAF devices in reducing stuttering frequency, there are inconsistent findings regarding speech naturalness. AAF is likely most effective when used in conjunction with traditional speech therapy. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between AAF and stuttering, particularly regarding unstructured speaking tasks and speech naturalness.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/csdms/1004/thumbnail.jp

A Dis-Ability Perspective on the Stigmatization of Dissent: Critical Pedagogy, Critical Criminology, and Critical Animal Studies

This intersectional and interdisciplinary social science qualitative dissertation in six chapters is grounded in critical research and theory for the purpose of engaged public service. This project is grounded in three formal disciplines: education, criminology, and peace and conflict studies. Within those three disciplines, this project interweaves newly emerging fields of study together, including critical animal studies, eco-ability, disability studies, environmental justice, transformative justice, green criminology, anarchist studies, and critical criminology, This dissertation adopts three qualitative methodologies; autoethnography, case study, and critical pedagogy. My project uses the animal advocacy movement as its case study. Using a critical pedagogy methodology, I explored why and how activists respond to the stigmatization of being labeled as or associated with terrorists, a process I refer to as terrorization. Chapter One is an introduction to global ecological conditions and post-September 11, 2001 US political repressive conditions toward environmental and animal advocates. Chapter Two introduces the three methodologies that employed for this research project: autoethnography, case study, and critical pedagogy. Chapter Three argues that stigmatization is a form of repression grounded from personal experiences and examined by means of autoethnography disability studies, and critical criminology. Chapter Four, introduces the case study of this dissertation: critical animal studies, which is influenced by green criminology and anarchist studies. In Chapter Five, through a critical pedagogical methodology, fourteen participants engage in a dialogue on responding to political repression. Finally, in Chapter Six, two new concepts are introduced to interweave all the fields of study and topics in the dissertation together--eco-ability, a theory rooted in disability studies, critical animal studies, and ecology, and transformative justice, a restorative, liberatory, and empowering alternative justice system