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Oyster Demand Adjustments to Counter-Information and Source Treatments in Response to Vibrio vulnificus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 January 2015

O. Ashton Morgan ,
Gregory S. Martin  and
William L. Huth
O. Ashton Morgan
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
Gregory S. Martin
Affiliation:
Department of Marketing, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY
William L. Huth
Affiliation:
Department of Marketing and Economics, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
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Abstract

A web-based contingent behavior analysis was developed to quantify the effect of both negative and positive information treatments and post harvest processes on demand for oysters. Results from a panel model indicate that consumers of raw and cooked oysters behave differently after news of an oyster-related human mortality. While cooked oyster consumers take precautionary measures against risk, raw oyster consumers exhibit optimistic bias and increase their consumption level. Further, by varying the source of a counter-information treatment, we find that source credibility impacts behavior. Oyster consumers, and in particular, raw oyster consumers, are most responsive to information provided by a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization. Finally, post harvest processing of oysters has no impact on demand.

Keywords

consumer behaviorinformation treatmentsnon-market valuationoptimistic biasOyster demandsource credibilityVibrio vulnificusQ18Q13Q58
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 41 , Issue 3 , December 2009 , pp. 683 - 696
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 2009

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