Trust in agricultural messages: A moment-to-moment analysis
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Abstract
Researchers and professionals within the agricultural communications realm have postulated that trust in agricultural messages is essential to industry prosperity. Trust is a complex mechanism that can help change and shift opinions. This study sought to determine the trustworthiness of different statements made in an agricultural video. Particularly, this study explored what agricultural messages are considered the most trustworthy among consumers and what differences exist amongst five different dimensions of trust. Further, the roles of political affiliation and agricultural involvement levels in perceived trust were also investigated. This study utilized a quantitative research experiment design to examine trustworthiness in messages through continuous response measurement (CRM) in addition to self-report measures. To explore these influences and impacts, a convenience sample of 151 Texas Tech University undergraduate and graduate students was randomly assigned one of five possible trust dimensions to be prompted with before all watching the same Texas Farm Bureau “Our Food” video. Using handheld dials, participants continuously rated their how much they trusted or distrust messages in the video and then filled out a questionnaire after viewing the video to provide additional insights in their shifts of trust throughout the video. One finding revealed participants may be more likely to trust certain messages that align well with their values and beliefs. Another finding showed level agricultural involvement can influence perceptions of trust in messages. These findings reiterate the importance of strategically tailoring and crafting effective messages.