Why We Believe in Superfoods: Investigating Attitudes, Personality and Message Processing

Introduction: Belief in the benefits of so-called superfoods is widespread, yet little is knownabout what drives these beliefs, particularly for lesser-known products like moringa.Methods: Two studies investigated how individual predispositions and information processingstyles shape attitudes toward moringa among consumers unfamiliar with it. Study 1 (N = 322)used a correlational design to examine the role of superfoods attitudes, personality traits,thinking styles, and social norms. Study 2 (N = 268) employed an experimental design to testhow message processing (central vs. peripheral) moderates these relationships.Results: Across both studies, a general positive attitude toward superfoods predicted higherperceived message credibility and more favorable attitudes toward moringa. These effectswere especially pronounced under peripheral processing (Study 2). Intuitive thinking andperceived social norms also contributed to positive responses, while analytical thinking andfood-health beliefs had weaker or unexpected effects (Study 1).Conclusion: Findings suggest that belief in superfoods is shaped more by intuition, affect, andprior attitudes than by analytical evaluation. Health communication strategies should considerthese psychological mechanisms when addressing public perceptions of novel health products.