Political ideology and sustainable eating: The role of values, disgust sensitivity, and food neophobia

This chapter examines how political ideologies shape pro-environmental behaviors and sustainable food choices. Liberals tend to support environmental actions, while conservatives prioritize economic growth and stability. Here, we explain these ideological differences through various frameworks (such as system justification theory [SJT] and social dominance orientation [SDO]), emphasizing distinct values and moral beliefs. For instance, liberals prioritize openness, self-transcendence, and individualizing values promoting sustainability and ethical food choices; conversely, conservatives emphasize conservation, self-enhancement, and binding moral foundations, which increase support for traditional practices and induce resistance to sustainable alternatives. Additionally, food neophobia and disgust sensitivity play significant roles, as conservatives tend to exhibit higher levels of both, resulting in a reluctance to embrace novel sustainable food options, such as plant-based or lab-grown alternatives. In conclusion, we outline several relevant mechanisms, linked to political ideology, that have a crucial role in shaping attitudes and behaviors regarding sustainable food choices, underlining the importance of tailored communication strategies to promote effective behavioral change.