Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Date
2021
Abstract
The loss of property and life following tragic events, such as flooding in the United States, demonstrate the frequent ineffectiveness of official risk communication strategies. Few studies have focused on the cognitive processes that impact individuals’ decisions upon receiving risk messages prior to flooding events. This study focuses specifically on the content of public service announcements (PSAs), elaboration and the logical and affective responses elicited by flooding and assesses individualized responses to varying message formats. It does so through the frameworks of the Information Processing Theory (IPT) and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) by examining the impact of flood risk messages upon cognitive processes and behaviors. Adults residing in flood prone areas in the United States were specifically targeted for the study. Mturk participants viewed flood related messages completed two online surveys, a pilot (N=78) and a main study (N=850). Structural equation modelling and regression analyses were used to identify mediated and moderated relationships among variables such as language intensity, message clarity, elaboration, behavioral intentions, involvement, message credibility and prior knowledge. Results show message clarity accounting for perceptions of credibility, variances in individualized elaborative cognitions assessed with differentiated central and peripheral processing scales, and behavioral responses among risk populations. Prior knowledge related to past experiences with flooding also predicted behavioral responses of individuals who resided in flood prone areas in the United States. The results also suggest gender differences in individualized cognitive processes with females more than males, perceiving PSAs as being credible. This information may prove useful in the content creation and design of PSAs to improve responses to flood risk messages and even prevent loss of life.
Recommended Citation
Eastman, Ayanna, "Elaboration and the Logical and Affective Responses to Flood Risk Messages: Elaboration Likelihood Model and Information Processing Perspectives" (2021). Faculty Works. 11.
https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/facworks_jour/11
Included in
Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Health Communication Commons, Mass Communication Commons
Comments
Previously archived in ProQuest database.