Risk perception of food safety issue on social media |
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Authors: | Xiaodong Yang Liang Chen Qiang Feng |
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Affiliation: | 1. Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore;2. School of Journalism and Communication, Wuhan University, China |
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Abstract: | This study aims to investigate individuals’ risk perceptions of food safety by extending the heuristic and systematic information processing model (HSM) to the social media context. Specifically, we examine the predictors of risk perceptions of food safety, including social media attention, social media credibility, as well as systematic and heuristic processing. A convenient sample of 640 adults was collected in China. Structural equation modeling was used to test the effects of social media attention and social media credibility on public risk perceptions of food safety, with information processing as mediating factors. The findings indicated that social media attention and social media credibility motivate systematic processing, which in turn promote risk perception of food safety. However, the mediating effect of heuristic processing was not found. Implications for theory and practice were discussed. |
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Keywords: | food safety information processing risk perception social media |
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