Media exposure, perceived efficacy and positive experience as predictors of personal and social risk perceptions of mishandled vaccine in China

ABSTRACT

Informed by social cognitive theory and impersonal impact hypothesis, this study examined the effects of media exposure, perceived efficacy and prior positive experience on risk perception during a risk event concerning mishandled vaccine in China. Through an online survey of 923 Internet users in China, the study explored the effect of media exposure on perceived risk in two dimensions: exposure frequency and exposure extensity, and found that exposure extensity was a significant predictor of personal risk perception, while exposure frequency had a significant effect on social risk perception. Response efficacy negatively predicted perceived social risk, while self-efficacy did not predict perceived personal risk. Prior positive experience moderated the effects of exposure extensity and self-efficacy on perceived personal risk. Prior positive experience also moderated the effects of response efficacy on perceived social risk, but did not moderate the effect of exposure frequency on perceived social risk.

KEYWORDS:

• Media exposure
• perceived efficacy
• risk perception
• prior experience
• public health risk

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers and the editor for their constructive comments and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from Humanities and Social Science Research Fund, Ministry of Education, China [grant number 17YJC860013], and a grant from the General Research Fund, University Grants Committee, Hong Kong [grant number 11405914].

Notes on contributors

Yang Liu

Yang Liu (Ph.D., City University of Hong Kong, 2014) is Associate Professor of School of Communication and Design, Sun Yat-Sen University. Dr. Liu’s research focuses on political communication and public opinion, and health communication.

Xigen Li

Xigen Li (Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1999) is Distinguished Professor of School of Journalism and Communication, Shanghai University, and Chair professor of School of International Journalism and Communication, Beijing Foreign Studies University. Dr. Li’s research focuses on impact of communication technology on mass communication, media use and communication behavior in the digital age, and health communication.

Zerui Liang

Zerui Liang (MA, City University of Hong Kong, 2015) has research interests in health communication, cross cultural communication, and computational methods.

Xiaohua Wu

Xiaohua Wu (MA, City University of Hong Kong, 2015) currently works as a user experience researcher of JD.com.