Onderzoeksartikel

Informatiedoelen en media-impact op risico-oordelen

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Abstract

The impersonal impact hypothesis suggests that mass media information can only exert influence on societal level risk judgments, but not on personal level risk judgments (people’s beliefs about risks in their personal lives). However, recent studies show that in specific circumstances-in the case of ‘vivid’ and ‘self-relevant’ information -personal level risk judgments can be affected by media information. According to the media system dependency theory people use media in order to achieve their information goals, which can be subdivided in goals on a personal and social level. Combination of the two theoretical views leads to the hypothesis that die impact of mass media information on both societal and personal level judgments is dependent on the nature of the information goal that directs someone’s media use. The results of the experimental study, presented in this article, show that the subjects who are trying to achieve personal information goals are affected in their personal level risk judgements whereas the judgements of subjects who are trying to achieve a social information goal are not affected.

How to Cite:

Van Diemen, M., De Boer, C. & Velthuijsen, A., (1997) “Informatiedoelen en media-impact op risico-oordelen”, Tijdschrift voor Communicatiewetenschap 25(4), 326–337.