Singapore is among the first countries to approve the sale of cultivated foods—products derived from animal or plant cells grown in controlled environments (Santo et al., 2020). Yet how different segments of the public understand and accept these novel foods remains underexplored. This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying vegetarians’ and non-vegetarians’ perceptions of cultivated foods, noting that these groups differ in their motivations, identities, and boundary conditions and therefore may respond differently to the same novel food (Kerslake et al., 2022). Drawing on Mental Models Theory (Denzau & North, 1994) and Construal Level Theory (Liberman & Trope, 2008), we investigate how vegetarians and non-vegetarians mentally construct the risks and benefits of cultivated foods across dimensions of psychological distance (social, temporal, and spatial). We will conduct five focus groups (N = 40; two with non-vegetarians and three with vegetarians) to identify convergence and divergence in participants’ mental models and to map how perceptions at different construal levels influence acceptance. Data collection is scheduled for January–February 2026 in Singapore. By revealing distinct cognitive and affective pathways that underlie acceptance, the study will offer actionable insights for policymakers, communicators, and producers seeking ethically sensitive, socially acceptable, and scalable strategies for introducing cultivated foods in Singapore and comparable contexts.

Authors:
Shirley Ho, Nayang Technological University, Singapore
Mengxue Ou, Peking University, China

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Mengxue Ou is an Assistant Professor in Communication Studies at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, China.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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