TY - JOUR
T1 - Online amplification of air pollution risk perception
T2 - the moderating role of affect in information
AU - Guo, Yu
AU - Li, Yiwei
N1 - Funding Information:
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. The authors would like to show our gratitude to the reviewers who provided insight and expertise that greatly assisted us in revising the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2018/1/2
Y1 - 2018/1/2
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Air pollution risk perception
KW - affect in information
KW - information availability
KW - social amplification
KW - the Internet
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U2 - 10.1080/1369118X.2016.1261170
DO - 10.1080/1369118X.2016.1261170
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84999816145
SN - 1369-118X
VL - 21
SP - 80
EP - 93
JO - Information Communication and Society
JF - Information Communication and Society
IS - 1
ER -