Differential effects of digital media platforms on climate change risk information-sharing intention: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

This study analyzes the mechanisms through which risk messages about climate changelead to people’s risk information-sharing intention, and how digital media platformtype serves as a context that moderates those mechanisms. Our analysis is informedby the influence of presumed influence (IPI) model, and we adapt and expand thatmodel in three ways. First, we apply the concept of perceived media reach to the con-text of digital media platforms, specifically news aggregators and social networkingsites. Second, we integrate the two mediators of risk perception and presumed influ-ence. Third, we examine potential moderating roles of digital media platforms in theIPI model. An online survey was conducted among 1000 South Korean adults, anda moderated mediation model (PROCESS Macro Model 59) generated the followingresults. (1) Perceived media reach was positively related to both mediators—risk per-ception and presumed influence. (2) By way of those two mediators, perceived reachsignificantly led to information-sharing intention. (3) Presumed influence, but not riskperception, was significantly related to information-sharing intention. (4) Digital mediaplatforms moderated the relation between perceived reach and risk perception: the roleof content-related risk perception was more pronounced in news aggregators, whilethe role of context-related presumed influence was greater in social networking sites.Theoretical and practical implications for risk communication are discussed.