Abstract

People often experience strong emotions during public health crises. This study examines how these emotions shape the perception of risk and support for policies to address the risk. In particular, this study explores the moderating effects of social network services (SNS) use in the process, considering that SNS have become a prominent communication platform during crises. Using a nationwide online survey conducted on the issue of fine dust air pollution in South Korea, this study found that feelings of anxiety, anger, and sadness about the risk issue were positively related to risk perception and policy support, while the relative effects of these emotions varied. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that reliance on SNS for learning (i.e., SNS learning dependency) moderated the influence of anxiety: the positive impact of anxiety was greater among those who used SNS for learning, while no such effects were found among those who used SNS for play or entertainment (i.e., SNS entertainment dependency). The implications of this study are discussed in terms of the distinct role emotions play in public responses to risks and the importance of considering the impact of SNS on public perceptions and judgments in this era of social media.

Highlights

  • The role of emotion in public risk perceptions and judgments has received increasing attention among scholars

  • This study examined the interaction between discrete emotions and social network services (SNS) dependency for risk perception (H4a–c) and policy support (H5a–c)

  • This study aimed to extend previous research on the effects of discrete emotions on public responses to risk by examining how discrete emotions, coupled with SNS use, shape public risk perception and judgment

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Summary

Introduction

The role of emotion in public risk perceptions and judgments has received increasing attention among scholars. While early studies primarily focused on cognitive mechanisms to explain how people form perceptions and judgments about risks, research has increasingly documented the important role that emotion plays in the context of risks [1,2]. Guided by cognitive appraisal theories of emotion, scholars have emphasized that discrete emotions, associated with distinct appraisals of situations, exert a powerful influence on subsequent judgment and decision-making in various contexts of risks [3]. This research suggests that how individuals use certain media—or specific genres of media—can change the way individuals interpret given issues or situations, triggering distinct emotional responses. SNS use can exert powerful influence on risk-related judgments because it can influence the extent to which specific emotions are triggered in response to certain risk issues. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations

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