Online amplification of air pollution risk perception: the moderating role of affect in information

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the amplification effect of the Internet on Chinese people’s air pollution risk perception. Analyses are based on data collected from a sample of Internet users in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou (N = 328). This study assumes that the characteristics of online information ‒ availability of information and affect in information ‒ will significantly contribute to the increase in air pollution risk perception. Results of path analysis indicated marginal significance of the effect of information availability on air pollution risk perception. Regarding the influence of affect in information, results showed that information including appeals to affect significantly increased perceived risk of air pollution; meanwhile, it also functioned as a moderator that significantly increased the strength of the causal relationship between information availability and risk perception. Findings of this study suggest that strategies for appropriately amplifying risk perception such as using heuristics may contribute to promoting public awareness of risks as well as encouraging public participation in the social effort to tackle risks.

KEYWORDS:

• Air pollution risk perception
• the Internet
• information availability
• affect in information
• social amplification

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to show our gratitude to the reviewers who provided insight and expertise that greatly assisted us in revising the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Yu Guo is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology, China. His research interests focus on computer-mediated communication, media effects, as well as health and risk communication. [email: [email protected]].

Yiwei Li (corresponding author) is an assistant professor at the Institute for Journalism, Media and Communication Studies, Keio University, Japan. Her areas of expertise lie in risk perception and risk communication, with particular interest in how individuals use risk information to make judgments and decisions. [email: [email protected]].

Additional information

Funding

This work was partially supported by Faculty Research Grants (General Research Grants, GRFs) of Macau University of Science and Technology [grant number 0498] and the Crisis Reporting Project (CRP) of Keio University.