Fear and anger: antecedents and consequences of emotional responses to mobile communication

Abstract

Many people fear that exposure to mobile phone base stations leads to severe health effects. In addition to those fears, many citizens are unsatisfied or even angry about prevailing base station site-selection procedures. In the present study, it was investigated how these emotions, i.e. fear and anger, determine risk and benefit perceptions and the acceptance of mobile communication. Using structural equation modeling, we found that benefit perception and the acceptance of mobile phone base stations were primarily determined by anger. Risk perception, in contrast was influenced by both emotions. In addition, controllability and fairness emerged as important cognitive appraisals, or antecedents, of fear and anger, while certainty was not related to these emotions. In sum, our findings highlight that fear and anger have specific influences on risk, benefit, and acceptance of mobile communication. Furthermore, the study provides an in-depth understanding of the antecedents that lead to emotional responses within the context of mobile communication. Implications for risk communication will be derived.

Keywords:

• mobile communication
• anger
• fear
• risk
• cognitive appraisal

Acknowledgment

This study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation as part of a National Research Program on ‘Non-Ionizing Radiation – Health and Environment’ (NFP 57).

Notes

^aFixed parameter for statistical identification. R = reverse scored.

1. The response rate was calculated as such: response rate = number of completed interviews/(number in sample − number not eligible).