The Effects of the Type of Information Played in Environmentally Themed Short Videos on Social Media on People’s Willingness to Protect the Environment

Shiyong Zheng, Jiarong Cui, Chaojing Sun, Jiaying Li, Biqing Li and Weili Guan
Additional contact information
Shiyong Zheng: School of Business, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Jiarong Cui: China Justice Big Data Institute, Beijing 100041, China
Chaojing Sun: Shandong Labor Vocational and Technical College, Jinan 250000, China
Jiaying Li: School of Business, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Biqing Li: School of Business, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Weili Guan: College of Digital Economics, Nanning University, Nanning 530200, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: This study used a 2 × 2 experimental design to explore the effects of message type (non-narrative vs. narrative information) and social media metrics (high vs. low numbers of plays) of low-carbon-themed social media short videos on people’s willingness to protect the environment. Subjects completed questionnaires after viewing short videos that contained different message types and social media metrics, and a final sample of 295 cases was included in the data analysis. The study found that, while the type of information (i.e., non-narrative or narrative) of the low-carbon-themed social media short videos had no direct effect on people’s willingness to protect the environment, its indirect effects were significant. These indirect effects were achieved through immersion experience and social influence. Subjects who watched narrative videos had a higher level of immersion experience, which in turn was significantly and positively correlated with environmental intention; meanwhile, those who watched non-narrative videos experienced a higher level of social influence, which in turn was significantly and positively correlated with environmental intention. In addition, subjects who viewed high-volume videos experienced a more positive effect on their willingness to protect the environment. This study explored how message design could promote subjects’ perceptions and positive attitudes towards environmental protection, with important managerial implications.

Keywords: short videos; message type; environmental intention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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