Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

5-1996

Publisher

International Communication Association

Source Publication

ICA Annual Conference

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop a model that focuses on characteristics of individuals that might predispose them to seek and process information about health in different ways. Specifically, the model proposes that five factors-(1) individual characteristics, (2) perceived hazard characteristics, (3) personal worry about the risk, (4) information sufficiency, (5) information gain self-efficacy — will influence the extent to which a person will seek out this risk information in both routine and non-routine channels and the extent to which he or she will spend time and effort analyzing the risk information critically. By adapting and synthesizing aspects of Eagly and Chaiken's "Heuristic-Systematic Model" and Fishbein and Ajzen's "Theory of Reasoned Action," we also expect that people who engage in more effortful information seeking and processing are more likely to develop risk-related cognitions, attitudes and behaviors that are more stable (i.e., less changeable or volatile) over time. Since most forms of health information campaigns attempt to get people to adopt habitual or lifestyle changes, factors leading to the stability or volatility of those behavioral changes are essential concerns.

Comments

A Proposed Model of the Relationship of Risk Information Seeking and Processing. A paper presented at the Annual ICA Conference, Chicago IL, May 1996. Publisher link. ©1996 The Author. Used with permission.

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