Progress 09/01/07 to 03/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Shapiro, M. A., & Gravani, R. B. (Producers).(2011). Chef Daddy-Chicken [30-second HD Video Public Service Announcement]: Distributed by Partnership for Food Safety Education. Shapiro, M. A., & Gravani, R. B. (Producers).(2011). Chef Daddy-Meat Loaf [30-second HD Video Public Service Announcement]: Distributed by Partnership for Food Safety Education. Shapiro, M. A., & Gravani, R. B. (Producers).(2011). Dr. Handwasher-Turkey [30-second HD Video Public Service Announcement]: Distributed by Partnership for Food Safety Education. Shapiro, M. A., & Gravani, R. B. (Producers).(2011). Ugly Bug-Chicken [30-second HD Video Public Service Announcement]: Distributed by Partnership for Food Safety Education. Shapiro, M. A., & Gravani, R. B. (Producers). (2011). Ugly Bug-Hamburger [30-second HD Video Public Service Announcement]: Distributed by Partnership for Food Safety Education PARTICIPANTS: Michael A. Shapiro, Associate Professor, Principle Investigator, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Robert B. Gravani, Professor, Co-PI, Department of Food Science, Cornell University. Shelley Feist, Executive Director, Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), Washington, D.C. Prof. Robert Potter,Ph.D., Director of The Institute for Communication Research, Department of Telecommunications, Indiana University Prof. Paul Bolls Ph.D., Director The PRIME Lab, Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri Claudia Barriga, Ph.D. candidate,. Li Jiang, Ph.D candidate, Department of Communication, Cornell University Tae Kyoung Lee, graduate student, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Hyekyung Lee, graduate student, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Sungjong Roh, graduate student, Department of Communication Cornell University. Jeanne Lawless, Research Associate, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Creative Associates, Schenectady NY. (Video Production) Dewine Marketing Resources, Troy, NY (Focus Groups) TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for the narrative PSA food safety messages is people between 18 and 34 years of age who regularly cook for their families in the home and who at least sometimes cook raw meat or fish. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The project goal was to investigate barriers to compliance with safe home food preparation practices and to create and distribute narrative public service announcements aimed at encouraging safe practices by 18 to 34-year-olds who cook regularly for their family and others. After extensive formative evaluation in New York state, consultation with experts, and testing of scripts, four narrative 30 second television public service announcements aimed at encouraging safe home food preparation were edited into preliminary versions. These public service announcements were tested in New York, Indiana and Missouri. Testing indicated that all of the PSAs captured attention, and that the final slogan was engaging. Based on both self-report and psychophysiological measures, two of the PSAs were selected for final production as high definition public service announcements (Ugly Bug and Chef Daddy). These messages were selected because they were the most attention getting, most memorable, most arousing, judged most effective in transmitting target messages, and had the highest ratings on cognitive empathy, realism, similarity and enjoyment. Meat and poultry versions were produced of each. A turkey version of a third message (Dr. Handwasher) was also produced because of its appropriateness for holidays. The messages were distributed by the Partnership for Food Safety Education. The five narrative messages tested as effective were made available to the public, the food industry and media outlets. The PSAs addressed appropriate and effective use of a food thermometers, effective hand washing, avoiding cross contamination, and keeping foods at appropriate temperatures as well as increasing the perception of the risk of foodborne illness, increasing the perception that safe home food preparation is easy, emphasizing that certain practices are ineffective (e.g., depending on color to judge doneness), indicating that food thermometers can be effective in cooking meat that is both safe and not overdone, and emphasizing the special risks to children and the elderly.
Publications
- Porticella, N., Shapiro, M. A., & Gravani, R. B. (2008). Social barriers to safer food preparation and storage practices among consumers. Paper presented at the International Communication Association.
- Shapiro, M. A., Porticella, N., Jiang, L. C., & Gravani, R. B. (2011). Predicting intentions to adopt safe home food handling practices: Applying the theory of planned behavior. Appetite, 56(1), 96-103. doi: doi:10.1016/j.appet.2010.11.148
- Shapiro, M. A., Porticella, N., Jiang, L., & Gravani, R. B. (2010). Predictors of Safe Home Food Handling Practices: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior. Paper presented at the International Communication Association.
- Porticella, N. & Shapiro, M. A. (2009). Regulatory focus, functional theories of attitude change, and goal-conflicting behaviors. Paper presented at the International Communication Association.
- Shapiro, M. A., Porticella, N., & Hancock, J. T. (2008). Identification, realism and ideal-self in interpreting media characters. Paper presented at the International Communication Association.
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Four narrative 30 second television public service announcements aimed at encouraging safe home food preparation were edited into preliminary versions. These public service announcements were tested in Indiana. Based on both self-report and psychophysiological measures, two of the PSAs were selected for final production as high definition public service announcements (Ugly Bug and Chef Daddy). These messages were selected because they were the most attention getting, most memorable, most arousing, and judged most effective in transmitting target messages. Meat and poultry versions were produced of each. A turkey version of a third message (Dr. Handwasher) was also produced because of its appropriateness for holidays. The messages were distributed by the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Testing in Missouri was started after some technical delays. PARTICIPANTS: Shelley Feist, Executive Director, Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), Washington, D.C. Creative Associates, Schenectady NY. (Video Production) Prof. Robert Potter,Ph.D., Director of The Institute for Communication Research, Department of Telecommunications, Indiana University Prof. Paul Bolls Ph.D., Director The PRIME Lab, Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri Claudia Barriga, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Li Jiang, Ph.D student, Tae Kyoung Lee, graduate student, Department of Communication, Cornell University. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for the narrative PSA food safety messages is people between 18 and 40 years of age who regularly cook for their families in the home and who at least sometimes cook raw meat or fish. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Five narrative messages tested as effective were made available to the public, the food industry and media outlets. The PSAs addressed appropriate and effective use of a food thermometers, effective hand washing, avoiding cross contamination, and keeping foods at appropriate temperatures as well as increasing the perception of the risk of foodborne illness, increasing the perception that safe home food preparation is easy, emphasizing that certain practices are ineffective (e.g., depending on color to judge doneness), indicating that food thermometers can be effective in cooking meat that is both safe and not overdone, and emphasizing the special risks to children and the elderly.
Publications
- Shapiro, M. A., Porticella, N., Jiang, L. C., & Gravani, R. B. (2011). Predicting intentions to adopt safe home food handling practices: Applying the theory of planned behavior. Appetite, 56(1), 96-103. doi: doi:10.1016/j.appet.2010.11.148
- Shapiro, M. A., & Kim, H. K. (2011). Realism is not the default: mental resources and realism judgments. Paper presented at the International Communication Association, Boston.
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Based on previous focus group and survey research 4 narrative 30-second public service announcements addressing a variety of home food preparation safety issues were edited into preliminary versions and revised. Collaborators in Missouri and Indiana designed studies to do psychophysiological and other testing on the PSAs. Those studies are currently being conducted and are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010. PARTICIPANTS: PI, Michael A. Shapiro, associate professor, Department of Communication, Cornell University. co-PI, Robert Gravani, Professor, Department of Food Science, Cornell University. Prof. Robert Potter,Ph.D., Director of The Institute for Communication Research, Department of Telecommunications, Indiana University Prof. Paul Bolls Ph.D., Director The PRIME Lab, Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri Li Jiang, graduate student, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Norman A. Porticella, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Claudia Barriga, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Hye Kyung Kim, graduate student, Department of Communication, Cornell University TARGET AUDIENCES: Persons who regularly cook for their families and/or friends and who at least sometimes start meals with raw meat, poultry, or fish. The messages are primarily aimed at people in their 20s and early 30s starting families. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: In order to complete several aspects of the project, it was extended for one year.
Impacts
Pending testing and final editing, the Public service announcements are scheduled to be released and distributed in early 2011.
Publications
- Barriga, C. A., Shapiro, M. A., & Fernandez, M. L. (2010). Science information in fictional movies: Effects of context and gender Science Communication, 32(1), 3-24.
- Niederdeppe, J., Shapiro, M. A., & Porticella, N. (2010). Effects of a Narrative and Summary of Scientific Evidence on Attributions of Responsibility for Obesity. Paper presented at the International Communication Association, Singapore.
- Shapiro, M. A., Barriga, C. A., & Beren, J. (2010). Causal Attribution and Perceived Realism of Stories. Media Psychology, 13(3), 273 - 300.
- Shapiro, M. A., Niederdeppe, J., & Porticella, N. (2010). Empathy, Identification, and Realism in Reponses to Stories About Individual and Social Causes of Obesity. Paper presented at the International Communication Association, Singapore.
- Shapiro, M. A., Porticella, N., Jiang, L., & Gravani, R. B. (2010). Predictors of Safe Home Food Handling Practices: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior. Paper presented at the International Communication Association, Singapore.
- Shapiro, M. A., Porticella, N., Jiang, L. C., & Gravani, R. B. (in Press, 2011). Predicting intentions to adopt safe home food handling practices: Applying the theory of planned behavior. Appetite.
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Progress 09/01/08 to 08/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Based on previous research and our own focus groups and surveys as well as consultation with various experts in the scientific, government, industry and consumer communities several topics were selected to be included in scripts for the narrative 30-second television public service announcements (PSAs). Behaviors to be modeled included appropriate and effective use of a food thermometers on large and small pieces of meat, effective hand washing, avoiding cross contamination, and keeping foods at appropriate temperatures. Additional themes included increasing the perception of the risk of foodborne illness, increasing the perception that safe home food preparation is easy, emphasizing that certain practices are ineffective (e.g., depending on color to judge doneness), indicating that food thermometers can be effective in cooking meat that is both safe and not overdone, and emphasizing the special risks to children and the elderly. Creative Associates prepared several scripts aimed at capturing as many of these themes as possible in narrative PSAs that were effective and entertaining. The scripts were modified numerous times after reviews by food safety and communication experts. This resulted in six scripts each having poultry (chicken or turkey) and meat (hamburger or meatloaf) versions. Creative Associates prepared talking storyboard versions of the scripts that were then tested in 4 focus groups conducted by Dewine Marketing in Clifton Park, NY. Based on the focus group results two of the scripts were rejected as ineffective. In addition, a number of modifications were made to the remaining four scripts. The modified scripts were again reviewed by food safety and communication experts. In August the 4 PSAs (two versions of each) were filmed and edited into preliminary versions scheduled to be tested in Missouri, Indiana and New York in the next year. PARTICIPANTS: Shelley Feist, Executive Director, Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), Washington, D.C. Food and Drug Administration: Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) Creative Associates, Schenectady NY. (Video Production) Dewine Marketing, Albany, NY. (Focus group testing of story boards). Prof. Robert Potter,Ph.D., Director of The Institute for Communication Research, Department of Telecommunications, Indiana University Prof. Paul Bolls Ph.D., Director The PRIME Lab, Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri Norman A. Porticella, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Claudia Barriga, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Li Jiang, graduate student, Department of Communication, Cornell University. Jeanne Lawless, Ph.D., Research Associate, Department of Communication, Cornell University TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for the narrative PSA food safety messages is people between 18 and 40 years of age who regularly cook for their families in the home and who at least sometimes cook raw meat or fish. This age group is being targeted in part on the recommendation of Dr. Alan Levy from CFSAN because there is some evidence that points to these individuals being more receptive to changing some risky behaviors while they are setting up households and starting families of their own. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The results of focus groups and surveys conducted in part under this project indicate that those who regularly cook for their families are aware of the recommended home food preparation practices but often do not comply for a variety of reasons. Earlier focus groups indicated that these cooks are not convinced that food borne illness is severe or that they are susceptible. Many cooks do not believe that certain recommended behaviors (e.g. using a food thermometer on small pieces of meat) are effective in reducing their risk. They also believe compliance may cost them too much time, effort, and/or money, and that non-compliance sometimes results in better tasting food and saves them time. These cooks are also sometimes unsure if they can effectively perform the recommended behaviors-using food thermometers on small pieces of meat was a particular problem. In a survey, such behavioral control factors seemed to be the most important predictors of intending to wash hands and use a food thermometer. Social factors also appeared to play a role. Concerns about appearances and perceived social costs may sometimes outweigh safety concerns, for example if concern about safety implied a lack of experience or confidence on the part of the cook. Survey results indicated that social factors predict use of food thermometers more than hand washing. Focus groups testing of the talking storyboards indicated that most participants seemed confident that they are well enough informed on food safety. Knowledge was a combination of accurate knowledge and misinformation. Most participants indicated a good understanding of the basics of hand washing; separating raw meat/poultry from other foods; cross contamination; sanitizing work areas and cutting boards; cooking thoroughly (especially chicken). They did not perceive meat thermometers as valuable and use was low. Basic awareness of food safety made the participants comfortable in taking it for granted. Because they thought they had adequate information on food safety, they didn't know what they didn't know. In general participants don't know proper cooking temperatures; they appeared satisfied with continuing to eyeball meat and poultry, to cut them open to check color, or to overcook. They were aware of some problems that had been well publicized, and seemed particularly concerned about salmonella (which most knew by name) and chicken. A number admitted to purposely overcooking meat, particularly when cooking chicken for children. Some seemed interested in the possibility that food thermometers could be used to avoid overcooking but were not confident in their ability to use food thermometers in that way. In general the participants reacted favorably to messages that held their attention in which the characters seemed authentic-although they also appreciated exaggeration for effect in some cases. The focus groups were valuable in identifying scripts that did not work well and in generating a number of implementable ideas (as well as some that could not be implemented) that the food safety, communication and creative people agreed improved the messages.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/07 to 08/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In collaboration with the Partnership for Food Safety Education, the creator and steward of the Fight BAC campaign, a panel of industry, government, and consumer health experts were convened to discuss why people fail to comply with the safe home food preparation recommendations. Based on that discussion, a small number of behaviors were selected and targeted for development as narrative television public service announcements (PSAs). These PSAs are aimed to increase the perception of threat, address the reasons for non-compliance and provide viewers with ways to overcome perceived barriers to compliance with safe home food handling procedures. Mentoring of two Communication graduate students who actively participated in this project was an integral part of this reporting period. They assisted with several experiments to investigate messaging strategies for narrative PSAs (see Outcomes below). In addition, a survey of 585 people in upstate NY addressed several food safety behaviors, further exploring previous findings from Hatch-funded focus groups that assessed the social aspects of compliance with home food safety behaviors. Results of these studies have been or will be disseminated to academic communities at a variety of conferences and professional society meetings. A crucial activity conducted during this funding period was the identification of an appropriate video production company, with the expertise and experience required to assist with production of narrative PSA scripts, storyboards, and high quality PSA video footage for television broadcast. A company was selected and they have developed several products to date, including six 30 second television PSA scripts and three variations of these. Storyboards of these scripts will be tested to refine the scripts and the best messages will be selected for the PSAs. A research database has been developed by the PI for maintenance of all grant-related experiments and results. Networks have been established with some members of the Partnership for Food Safety Education, as well as government agencies including FDA, USDA and the CDC, with whom we anticipate following up to gain additional input and support for PSAs that are being developed. Collaborations have been established with consumer research scientists at the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) with whom we prepared the food safety survey and anticipate further collaboration. PARTICIPANTS: Professor Shapiro, PI, Associate Professor of Communication at Cornell University, provides project direction to all others involved in this project. Professor Gravani, co-PI, Professor of Food Science at Cornell University, provides all food safety expertise needed in terms of accuracy of scripts, storyboards, and survey questions. Dr. Lawless, Research Associate, sees to the day-to-day running of the project and serves as the main contact person for all project participants. Drs. Robert Potter, Director of The Institute for Communication Research at the Department of Telecommunications at Indiana University, and Paul Bolls, Director of The PRIME Lab, located in the Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri, served as consultants during this granting period to assist with the hiring of the video production company and with the revisions necessary for the overall research plan; they will play a major role during Year 3. Mr. Norman Porticella and Ms. Claudia Barriga, Graduate Students in the Department of Communication, Cornell University, played crucial roles in the design of and execution of experiments that were conducted during this reporting cycle. Dr. Alan Levy, Consumer Studies Scientist with the FDA, became an important collaborator in the development of a food safety survey that was administered during this reporting cycle. Ms. Shelley Feist, Executive Director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), assisted with the planning and execution of the PFSE-sponsored input session held in Washington, D.C. on 5 February 2008. Several PFSE liaisons were invited to this session and have become important stakeholders. Three Cornell University undergraduate students helped as research assistants with a variety of tasks associated with the ongoing research, including assistance with data-collection and coding; these include Stephanie Rigione, Jade Wu, and Whitney Brenner. Professional Development activities include those by Dr. Lawless, who participated in a Risk Communication graduate class, and Graduate Students Norman Porticella and Claudia Barriga who received graduate Research Assistantships (RAs) and attended conferences to present research results during this reporting cycle. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for the narrative PSA food safety messages under development is people between 18 and 40 years of age who regularly cook for their families in the home. This age group is being targeted because there is some evidence that points to these individuals being more receptive to changing some risky behaviors while they are setting up households and starting families of their own. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: After soliciting and reviewing sample materials from approximately 30 different video-production vendors identified as potentially capable of producing the PSAs for this project, and geographically close to Cornell, only one such video production company, Creative Advantage, in Schenectady NY, demonstrated the ability to successfully produce narrative PSAs that met our criteria. The costs associated with production as quoted by this company exceeded the amount budgeted, so an additional $20,000.00 was obtained from an alternative funding source in order to partially cover these additional costs. In addition, on the recommendation of the video production company and after discussion with collaborators in Missouri and Indiana, it was agreed that it was more cost effective and in keeping with typical testing procedures to do preliminary testing of messages with talking storyboards at the Cornell site. Our collaborators in Missouri (Prime Lab, University of Missouri, Columbia) and Indiana (The Institute for Communication Research in the Department of Telecommunications at Indiana University, Bloomington) will now test the videos and their variations in Year 3. This will free additional funds for video production and these changes will not affect the final deliverables of this project; namely four to six 30-second PSAs that will have been professionally produced, tested for effectiveness, and then distributed by the Partnership for Food Safety Education.
Impacts
Focus group findings from a Hatch project indicated that people who prepare food at home want to present themselves to others as experienced cooks and this motivation may serve as a barrier or a facilitator to compliance with home food safety recommendations (e.g., people won't use food thermometers because they are perceived to be inexperienced cooks if they do; or people will wash hands in front of others in order to look like they are experienced cooks). Attention to these social aspects of compliance should help to create more effective narrative PSAs. The main outcomes during Year One involve further investigation of home food safety behavioral compliance. A survey of 585 adults largely confirmed that social factors influence behavioral compliance. Of the people who cook the main meal in their households at least some of the time, 58-69% agreed that pride in cooking is important to them. Of those surveyed who were asked about hand washing (n=307), between 42% and 68% felt social pressures of some sort to wash their hands. Another study examined whether framing messages in particular ways influenced the intention to perform appropriate hand washing and thermometer use behaviors. The study generally found that messages framed with a safety goal are more effective when paired with a prevention orientation and messages framed with a pride goal function better when paired with a promotion orientation. However, this conclusion is complicated by differences across the specific behaviors examined. In the context of washing hands, it was consistently supported across all measures. In the context of thermometer use, complications arose which may relate to the fact that-unlike hand washing-the practice of using a thermometer, particularly on smaller cuts of meat, is a practice most individuals do not currently perform and for which they may have negative beliefs and attitudes. A third study compared the persuasive effect of two kinds of messages: informative and counterfactual narrative, on people's intentions to engage in home food safety practices. Narrative messages were designed such that they produced counterfactual stories; that is, stories in which the protagonist suffers negative consequences for engaging in risky behaviors. In other risk studies counterfactual messages motivate people to think about how they would prevent the negative consequences, improving agreement with the message. Our findings found that counterfactual thoughts are not as successful in the context of food safety as they have been in other risk domains, and that the inclusion of statistical information before them does not increase their persuasiveness. It is concluded that more complex, emotional, transporting stories are needed for persuasiveness in the domain of home food safety than is the case for other risk domains.
Publications
- Barriga, C.A., Shapiro, M.A., Fernandez, M. (2008). Science information in fictional movies: effects of context and gender. Paper presented at the 58th conference of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 22-26.
- Shapiro, M. A., Gravani, R. G. and Lawless, J. W. (2008). Cornell CSREES Project: Improving safe home food preparation messages to reduce food borne illness. Presentation to Partnership for Food Safety Education expert panel, Washington, DC, February 5.
- Porticella, N. A., Shapiro, M. A., Gravani, R. B. (2008). The role of value- and impression-relevant involvement in health/risk compliance: A study of food safety practices in the home (unpublished manuscript).
- Barriga, C.A. and Shapiro, M.A. (2008). Narratives and Counterfactual Thoughts in a Food Safety Context. Paper submitted to the 59th annual conference of the International Communication Association to be held in Chicago, IL May 21-25, 2009 (pending).
- Porticella, N. A. and Shapiro, M. A. (2008). Regulatory Focus, Functional Theories of Attitude Change, and Goal-conflicting Behaviors. Paper submitted to the 59th annual conference of the International Communication Association to be held in Chicago, IL May 21-25, 2009 (pending).
- Shapiro, M.A. (2008). Paper presented to the Marketing and Public Policy Conference Special Topics Session 5.3 Long Term Trends in Reported Consumer Food Safety Behavior, American Marketing Association, Philadelphia, PA, May 29-31.
- Porticella, N. A., Shapiro, M. A., Gravani, R. B. (2008). Social barriers to safer food preparation and storage practices among consumers. Paper presented at the 58th annual conference of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 22-26.
- Shapiro, M. A., Porticella, N. A., & Hancock, J. T. (2008). Identification, realism and ideal-self in interpreting media characters. Paper presented at the 58th annual conference of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 22-26.
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