Attention to News Media, Emotional Responses, and Policy Preferences about Public Health Crisis: The Case of Fine Dust Pollution in South Korea

Soohee Kim and Yong-Chan Kim
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Soohee Kim: Department of Communication, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Yong-Chan Kim: Department of Communication, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: This study examines how attention to science and political news may influence the way people feel about an environmental risk, and how this in turn impacts policy preferences. Using an online survey conducted on the issue of fine dust pollution in South Korea, this study found that science news attention was associated with greater anxiety and anger about the issue, whereas political news attention was associated with fear and sadness/depression (as well as anxiety and anger). Furthermore, mediation analysis showed that science news attention indirectly influenced support for preventive policy through anxiety, whereas political news attention indirectly influenced punitive policy support through anger and fear. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

Keywords: news attention; emotion; policy preferences; public health crisis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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