Changes in nutrition attitudes and knowledge as a function of similar and expert communication sources among the Gusii of Kenya

Abstract

The effects of source-receiver similarity and source expertise on nutrition attitudes and knowledge were examined among Gusii first and second year hararnbee (self-help) secondary school students in western Kenya. The characteristics of nutrition expertise and source receiver similarity were empirically determined during the early stages of the research by a questionnaire survey of the students' perception of expertise and similarity. Based upon this survey, two levels of expertise (high and low) and two levels of similarity (high and low) were examined in addition within each of the four experimental treatments half of the male respondents received a message attributed to a male source and half attributed to a female source. Half of the female respondents received a message attributed to a male source and half attributed to a female source. This resulted in a 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design. Each of the sixteen experimental treatment groups received the same written message which aimed to produce. nutritionally-advantageous changes in nutrition attitudes and knowledge. In addition, two (male and female) control groups did not receive any nutrition message. After receiving the written communication, a questionnaire was given to all of the respondents, experimental and control, to measure the effect of source expertise and similarity on nutrition attitudes and knowledge . .A significant difference was found for each sex for both attitudes and knowledge between the eight experimental groups (similarity (2) by expertise (2) by sex of source (2» and their appropriate (male or female) control group. No differences in .knowledge scores among the various experimental groups were found. Neither a similarity main effect nor an expertise main effect was found for attitudes, however, a similarity-by-expertise interaction was found. The low similar/low expert source was less persuasive than either the low similar/high expert source, high similar/low expert source or high similar/high expert source. A main effect for sex of subject was also reported. Male students had higher attitude scores than female students. Since the male students came from two predominantly male schools and the female students came from two predominantly female schools an examination was made of school differences. A significant school difference was found; therefore, the difference between the male and female subjects may be due to a sex difference or to a I school difference. The order of the measurement of attitudes and knowledge was balanced and an order effect was found. Respondents who received the attitude statements first had higher attitude scores than respondents who received the attitude statements second, and respondents who received the knowledge questions first had higher knowledge scores than respondents who received the knowledge questions second