The More Insufficient, the More Avoidance? Cognitive and Affective Factors that Relates to Information Behaviours in Acute Risks

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between cognitive and affective factors and people's information-seeking and -avoiding behaviours in acute risks with a 1,946-sample online survey conducted in February 2020, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that perceived information insufficiency correlates negatively with information-seeking behaviour and there was an inverted U-shaped relationship between information insufficiency and avoidance behaviour. As for the risk-related cognitive factors, information seeking increases as perceived severity of risks rises, while information avoiding increases as perceived susceptibility rises. Perceived response efficacy positively correlates with information-seeking and negatively with information-avoidance behaviours. Preliminary results also indicated that different affective factors relate to information-seeking and avoidance behaviours differently.

Exploring the roles of fear and powerlessness in the relationship between perceived risk of the COVID-19 pandemic and information-avoidance behavior

“…Consistent with this claim, previous studies of risk-related information behavior have demonstrated a positive relationship between perceived epidemic risk and information-avoidance behavior through feelings of fear ( Jepson and Chaiken, 1990 ; Witte, 1994 ; Chiang and Tang, 2022 ). Notably, these studies mainly focused on the context of chronic risks for which people may not perceive a strong sense of urgency or prioritize acting immediately ( Zhao and Liu, 2021 ). For example, Chiang and Tang (2022) mainly focused on internet security compliance behavior in a public Wi-Fi usage condition, and demonstrated that fear was an important determinant of the user’s avoidance behavior.…”

“…Consistent with this inference, correlational evidence in the previous studies also indicated that the levels of fear were positively associated with a sense of powerlessness in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic ( Lifshin et al, 2020 ). In the context of COVID-19, individuals with powerlessness tended to avoid information regarding the risks when they felt a greater likelihood of being personally affected ( Chen et al, 2021 ; Zhao and Liu, 2021 ).…”

The consequences of limited training in disorders of gut‐brain interaction: Results from a national survey of gastroenterology trainees in the United Kingdom

“…The fact that trainees feel a large proportion of their consultants are not skilled in DGBI may reflect a lack of DGBI exposure in the consultant body, consequent lack of confidence regarding management, and resultant antipathy. Studies have shown that a lack of perceived knowledge of a subject 22 or the perception of difficulty 23 can result in anxiety, reduced confidence, and avoidance. 23 Finally, almost a third of UK trainees surveyed indicated that patient attitudes and cultural beliefs were frequently a barrier to treatment.…”

“…Studies have shown that a lack of perceived knowledge of a subject 22 or the perception of difficulty 23 can result in anxiety, reduced confidence, and avoidance. 23 Finally, almost a third of UK trainees surveyed indicated that patient attitudes and cultural beliefs were frequently a barrier to treatment. Cultural barriers have been described as adversely affecting the outcomes of patients with DGBI.…”

Consumers' food control risk attitude for blockchain traceable information seeking: Evidence from fresh fruit buyers in China

“…A recent strand of the literature indicated various drivers of information seeking. Inter alia, trust and risk perception (Jin et al, 2020), information source characteristics and demographics (Desta et al, 2019), social psychological (Chang et al, 2017), cognitive and affective factors (Zhao and Liu, 2021), consumer social network (Lee, 2014), social media exposure (He and Li, 2021), social environment (Yang and Kahlor, 2013), and cognitive barriers to information seeking (Savolainen, 2015) are major ones. According to Boot and Meijman (2010), these driving factors include psychology, mass communication, library and information science, and medical science.…”