Deliberate Ignorance and Moral Behavior
Consumers' deliberate ignorance about the consequences of their actions may impede moral behaviors. We test this concern using a laboratory experiment and field data in the context of food choices. We find that deliberate ignorance about intensive farming practices leads to higher meat consumption levels, both in the laboratory and in university canteens. Individuals who avoid information are particularly responsive to it, yet their behavioral response vanishes after two weeks. Both findings demonstrate the difficulty of addressing deliberate ignorance through information interventions.