For My Own Sake: The Role of Personal Relevance in Information Seeking

To test whether the risk information seeking and processing model performs consistently when a risk is viewed at different levels of personal relevance, this study focuses on the context of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. Results from an experimental survey (N = 1,323) indicate that informational subjective norms play a bigger role when PFAS contamination is portrayed as having lower relevance to participants. Moreover, trust in government and trust in science are associated with information seeking only in the low relevance condition. Finally, the different results of worry and anxiety suggest a need to better understand discrete emotions' impact on information seeking.

Automated summary

This study examines whether the risk information seeking and processing model remains consistent when a risk is perceived at different levels of personal relevance, focusing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. Findings from the experimental survey of 1,323 participants indicate that subjective norms regarding information play a more significant role when PFAS contamination is perceived as less relevant. Trust in government and trust in science are only associated with information seeking when the relevance is low. The differential effects of worry and anxiety suggest the need for a better understanding of the impact of discrete emotions on information seeking.