Ethnic Food Consumption: Mediating role of Food Involvement and Food Neophilia

Year 2024, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 265 - 279, 05.07.2024

Merve Güdek

Abstract

Ethnic food encompasses foods and beverages specific to a particular culture. Ethnic dishes reflect the customs and traditions of the culture to which they belong, their religion, heritage, and national origins. Consumption of ethnic foods has increased in recent years and has come to the fore. This study aimed to test a research model that explains how openness to different cultures affects ethnic food consumption intention. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the connection among variables. Data was collected between April 29 and July 19, 2023. Convenience sampling method was used in the study. Research data were collected from 321 participants dining in the ethnic restaurants in Istanbul. The findings revealed that openness to different cultures positively and significantly affected food neophilia (β = 0.94; P <0.01) and food involvement (β = 0.38; P <0.01). It was also found that the mediating role of food neophilia and food involvement in the positive relationship between openness to new cultures and ethnic food consumption intention. The findings are expected to help create marketing strategies to improve ethnic food consumption in Türkiye and contribute to enriching the existing knowledge in the literature, especially ethnic food consumption.

Keywords

Ethnic food consumption intention, food-related personality traits, openness to different cultures, gastronomy

Etnik Gıda Tüketimi: Gıda Katılımı ve Gıda Neofilisinin Aracı Rolü

Abstract

Etnik yiyecekler belirli bir kültüre özgü yiyecek ve içecekleri kapsayan ve ait oldukları kültürün gelenek ve göreneklerini, dinlerini, miraslarını ve ulusal kökenlerini yansıtan yiyeceklerdir. Etnik yiyeceklerin tüketimi son yıllarda giderek artmaktadır. Bu çalışma, farklı kültürlere açıklığın etnik yiyecek tüketme niyetini nasıl etkilediğini açıklayan bir araştırma modelini test etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiler yapısal eşitlik modellemesi (SEM) kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Veriler 29 Nisan- 19 Temmuz 2023 tarihleri arasında toplanmıştır. Çalışmada kolayda örnekleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma verileri İstanbul’da etnik restoranları ziyaret eden 321 katılımcıdan toplanmıştır. Bulgular, farklı kültürlere açıklığın gıda yeniliği (β = 0,94; P <0,01) ve gıda katılımını (β = 0,38; P <0,01) pozitif ve anlamlı olarak etkilediğini göstermektedir. Ayrıca farklı kültürlere açıklık ile etnik yiyecek tüketim niyeti arasındaki pozitif ilişkide gıda neofilisi ve gıdaya katılımın aracı rolünün olduğu da tespit edilmiştir. Bulguların, Türkiye’de etnik yiyecek tüketimini geliştirmeye yönelik pazarlama stratejilerinin oluşturulmasına yardımcı olması ve başta etnik yiyecek tüketimi olmak üzere literatürdeki mevcut bilgilerin zenginleştirilmesine katkıda bulunacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Etnik yemek tüketim niyeti, gıdaya ilişkin kişilik özellikleri, farklı kültürlere açıklık, gastronomi

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