Exploring seafood socialization in the kindergarten: an intervention’s influence on children’s attitudes

Abstract

Purpose -This paper aims to enhance understanding of the influence of increased food availability and social learning in kindergartens on children's attitudes towards food. In addition, it discusses questions regarding children and their parent's attitudes and seafood consumption at home.Design/methodology/approach -The study employs a qualitative approach that includes semi structured interviews with twenty-four Norwegian children aged 4-6 years, interviewed in pairs. They represented two public kindergartens. One group attended a seafood intervention and the other did not. The intervention comprised seafood served as lunch twice per week, in addition to various educational activities designed to increase children's knowledge of seafood.Findings-Children who attended the seafood intervention used more cognitive associations by describing seafood as healthy. They also expressed more positive attitudes towards seafood compared with the other children. The findings indicate a stronger socialization effect from parents than preschool teachers. Research limitations/implications-The children proved to have limited cognitive and communicative abilities for participation in semi structured interviews. Future studies should consider older samples and/or methods that are more adapted to their cognitive abilities.Results cannot be generalized due to the relative small sample and performed in one culture.Social implications-To promote a healthier diet, children's caregivers and school authorities should make seafood more available. Preschool teachers should be encouraged to eat meals with the children in order to function as positive role models.Originality/value-The study addresses a currently under-researched issue concerning the influence of kindergartens on children's food attitudes towards a specific food category.

The intergenerational transmission of participation in collective action: The role of conversation and political practices in the family

“…Even if parents do not set out to transmit politics‐related issues, children pay attention to contextual clues that allude to such elements. Even though authors in other fields have established that attitudes and practices can result from merely expository processes which are nonverbal and unplanned (Albertson, 2011; Alm & Olsen, 2015; Auty & Lewis, 2004; Flores et al ., 2018; Scrob, 2016), our results provide novel knowledge on these processes, mostly overlooked in previous studies on political socialization.…”

“…Studies on transmission have almost exclusively considered conversation as the means whereby parents' political opinions and experiences are conveyed (Bloemraad & Trost, 2008;Dinas, 2013;Hooghe & Boonen, 2015;Quintelier et al, 2007), without addressing other possibilities or factors that might facilitate or hinder this process. Given the extensive literature on the development of attitudes through implicit, non-conversational processes and mere exposition (Albertson, 2011;Alm & Olsen, 2015;Auty & Lewis, 2004;Flores et al, 2018;Scrob, 2016), it is important to explore these other forms of transmission (such as cultural consumption), beyond the possibilities afforded by conversations. Thus, it seems relevant to examine in more depth how various transmission processes take place and what circumstances facilitate or hinder them.…”

Determinant factors of Indonesian people’s fish purchase intention

“…Moreover, fish deteriorates quickly in quality (Sveinsd ottir et al, 2009;Birch et al, 2012). Culture, social norms and family preferences also have an impact on consumer attitudes in choosing food for consumption (Olsen et al, 2007;Alm and Olsen, 2015;Beck, 2007;Bonaiuto et al, 2012). Furthermore, family, friends and coworkers' food preferences also influence an individual's preference (Verbeke and Vackier, 2005;Thorsdottir et al, 2012;Veeck et al, 2014;K€ umpel Nørgaard et al, 2007).…”