Acknowledgement

Abstract

How do social factors (social cohesion, social networks) affect low-income consumers and their perceptions of food availability? Across three studies, this research finds that social factors play an important role in determining the perceptions that these consumers have about their food situation. When reminded about their social networks, low-income consumers report higher levels of food availability. However, this effect holds only if social cohesion is high, indicating that social cohesion acts as a moderator. Another moderator of perceived food availability is the distance at which the social networks are located. When social networks are near (same city), strong and weak social relationships help increase perceptions of food availability. However, when the geographic distance increases (different city), only strong social relationships help. This research finds that self-confidence explains the reason why social factors affect perceived food availability.