Won't we scare them? The impact of communicating uncontrollable risks on the public's perception
Won't we scare them? The impact of communicating uncontrollable risks on the public's perception
复制标题
DOI：
10.1080/13669877.2014.971336
复制
发表时间：
2016-01-01
影响因子：
5.1
通讯作者：
Sas, Benedikt
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
De Vocht, Melanie;Claeys, An-Sofie;Sas, Benedikt
当局往往出于恐惧而不通报风险，以免引起公众的负面情绪，并对公众的行为产生负面反应。本研究探讨了沟通风险对公众的感受和行为意图的影响，关于一个无法控制的风险，有关新鲜农产品。此外，通过2（风险沟通与无风险沟通）× 2（危机沟通与无危机沟通）的被试间析因设计，比较了风险沟通在风险发展为危机或未发展为危机的情况下的影响。研究结果表明，沟通风险有积极的影响，继续吃新鲜农产品的行为意向相比，没有风险的沟通，因为它减少了公众之间的负面情绪。此外，研究结果表明，当风险发展成为一个实际的危机，事先的风险沟通，可以导致更大的信任，在政府和减少感知政府的责任，危机发生时。根据这些调查结果，可以认为，风险沟通是当局让公众为潜在危机做好准备的有效工具。调查结果表明，宣传风险并没有引起公众的负面反应，相反，它导致对当局的更积极的看法。
Authorities often refrain from communicating risks out of fear to arouse negative feelings amongst the public and to create negative reactions in terms of the public's behavior. This study examines the impact of communicating risks on the public's feelings and behavioral intentions regarding an uncontrollable risk related to fresh produce. In addition, the impact of risk communication is compared between a situation in which the risk either does or does not develop into a crisis, by means of a 2 (risk communication vs. no risk communication)x2 (crisis communication vs. no crisis communication) between-subjects factorial design. The results show that communicating risks has a positive impact on the behavioral intention to keep on eating fresh produce compared to when no risk communication was provided, as it reduces negative feelings amongst the public. In addition, the findings illustrate that when a risk develops into an actual crisis, prior risk communication can result in greater trust in the government and reduce perceived government responsibility for the crisis when the crisis hits. Based on these findings, it can be suggested that risk communication is an effective tool for authorities in preparing the public for potential crises. The findings indicate that communicating risks does not raise negative reactions amongst the public, on the contrary, and that it results in more positive perceptions of the authorities.