Off-campus WSU users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your WSU access ID and password, then click the "Off-campus Download" button below.
Non-WSU users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2023
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Communication
First Advisor
Pradeep Sopory
Abstract
Climate change, flooding, and stormwater contamination produce interconnected environmental, economic, and health risks to the public. Such environmental risks ripple across society creating amplification effects that alter policy support, risk perceptions, and behavioral intentions to mitigate climate change, flooding, and stormwater contamination. This study explored the effects of risk and numerical framing on policy support, risk perception, and pro-environmental behavioral intentions among residents in Southeast Michigan. A 2 (risk frame: high versus low) × 2 (numerical: numerical versus non-numerical frame) × 3 (message topic: climate change, flooding, stormwater contamination) between and within subject mixed factorial experimental design was used on an online Qualtrics survey to collect data from (N = 474) residents in 11 counties of the Southeast Michigan region. Stratified random sampling was employed based on the zip code to recruit participants. Hierarchical regression and within-subject GLM on SPSS version 29 were used for data analysis. The study found evidence for partial direct effects of risk and numerical frame on policy support and behavioral intentions respectively. The interaction had a partial negative effect on policy support, risk perceptions, and full effect on behavioral intentions. Moreover, subjective knowledge was found to be moderating numerical frame effect on risk perceptions. The study found a difference in risk perception across three message topics. The study identified several theoretical, practical implications and directions for future research. The T-RUST program offered multidisciplinary merits to widen the applications of the study and in communicating urban sustainability and environmental risk issues in Southeast Michigan.
Recommended Citation
Subasinghe, Sandaruwan, "Numerical Facts Enriched Risk Amplification Framing For The Promotion Of Climate Change Policy Support, Risk Perceptions, And Behavioral Intentions" (2023). Wayne State University Dissertations. 3915.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/3915