Mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior

Ge XU; Xiangnan FENG; Yiwei LI; Jianmin JIA

doi:10.1016/j.jmse.2021.09.002

Mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior

Ge XU, Xiangnan FENG, Yiwei LI, Jianmin JIA

Department of Marketing and International Business

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study investigates the mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior based on a merged real-world data set that includes daily air quality, Internet search and media indices, social media discussions, and product purchases. Using a Bayesian structural equation modeling approach, we show that online public attention to air pollution increases when air pollution increases, and such attention is captured by more media reports, social media discussions, and Internet searches. A comprehensive relationship involving direct and indirect effects between air pollution and precautionary behavior is established. Air pollution has a positive effect on proactive defensive behaviors, reflected in increased purchases of preventive products, and this effect is partially mediated by online media coverage and the public's Internet searches. Air pollution also motivates passive defensive behaviors, reflected in decreased purchases of outdoor sports products, and this effect is partially mediated by social media coverage. These results suggest that governments could improve the quality of policy making by considering the different roles of various forms of online public attention in the public's risk perceptions of and reactions to air pollution.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	159-172
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Management Science and Engineering
Volume	7
Issue number	1
Early online date	10 Sept 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmse.2021.09.002
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Dr. Xu and Dr. Feng contributed equally to this work. Dr. Xu's work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 71704052 and 72074072 ), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province , China ( 2018JJ3263 ), and the Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hunan Province , China ( 18B334 ). Dr. Feng's work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 71802166 ) and the Humanities and Social Science Foundation of the Ministry of Education of China ( 20YJC630055 ). Dr. Li's work was partially supported by the LamWoo Research Fund ( LWI20005 ), Faculty Research Grant ( DB20A3 and DB21A7 ), and Direct Grant ( DR21B3 ). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.

Keywords

Air pollution
Bayesian structural equation modeling
Internet search
Precautionary behaviors
Risk perception
Social media

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10.1016/j.jmse.2021.09.002Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior",

abstract = "This study investigates the mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior based on a merged real-world data set that includes daily air quality, Internet search and media indices, social media discussions, and product purchases. Using a Bayesian structural equation modeling approach, we show that online public attention to air pollution increases when air pollution increases, and such attention is captured by more media reports, social media discussions, and Internet searches. A comprehensive relationship involving direct and indirect effects between air pollution and precautionary behavior is established. Air pollution has a positive effect on proactive defensive behaviors, reflected in increased purchases of preventive products, and this effect is partially mediated by online media coverage and the public's Internet searches. Air pollution also motivates passive defensive behaviors, reflected in decreased purchases of outdoor sports products, and this effect is partially mediated by social media coverage. These results suggest that governments could improve the quality of policy making by considering the different roles of various forms of online public attention in the public's risk perceptions of and reactions to air pollution.",

keywords = "Air pollution, Bayesian structural equation modeling, Internet search, Precautionary behaviors, Risk perception, Social media",

author = "Ge XU and Xiangnan FENG and Yiwei LI and Jianmin JIA",

note = "Funding Information: Dr. Xu and Dr. Feng contributed equally to this work. Dr. Xu's work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 71704052 and 72074072 ), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province , China ( 2018JJ3263 ), and the Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hunan Province , China ( 18B334 ). Dr. Feng's work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 71802166 ) and the Humanities and Social Science Foundation of the Ministry of Education of China ( 20YJC630055 ). Dr. Li's work was partially supported by the LamWoo Research Fund ( LWI20005 ), Faculty Research Grant ( DB20A3 and DB21A7 ), and Direct Grant ( DR21B3 ). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.",

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AU - FENG, Xiangnan

AU - LI, Yiwei

AU - JIA, Jianmin

N1 - Funding Information: Dr. Xu and Dr. Feng contributed equally to this work. Dr. Xu's work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 71704052 and 72074072 ), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province , China ( 2018JJ3263 ), and the Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hunan Province , China ( 18B334 ). Dr. Feng's work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 71802166 ) and the Humanities and Social Science Foundation of the Ministry of Education of China ( 20YJC630055 ). Dr. Li's work was partially supported by the LamWoo Research Fund ( LWI20005 ), Faculty Research Grant ( DB20A3 and DB21A7 ), and Direct Grant ( DR21B3 ). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.

PY - 2022/3

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N2 - This study investigates the mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior based on a merged real-world data set that includes daily air quality, Internet search and media indices, social media discussions, and product purchases. Using a Bayesian structural equation modeling approach, we show that online public attention to air pollution increases when air pollution increases, and such attention is captured by more media reports, social media discussions, and Internet searches. A comprehensive relationship involving direct and indirect effects between air pollution and precautionary behavior is established. Air pollution has a positive effect on proactive defensive behaviors, reflected in increased purchases of preventive products, and this effect is partially mediated by online media coverage and the public's Internet searches. Air pollution also motivates passive defensive behaviors, reflected in decreased purchases of outdoor sports products, and this effect is partially mediated by social media coverage. These results suggest that governments could improve the quality of policy making by considering the different roles of various forms of online public attention in the public's risk perceptions of and reactions to air pollution.

AB - This study investigates the mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior based on a merged real-world data set that includes daily air quality, Internet search and media indices, social media discussions, and product purchases. Using a Bayesian structural equation modeling approach, we show that online public attention to air pollution increases when air pollution increases, and such attention is captured by more media reports, social media discussions, and Internet searches. A comprehensive relationship involving direct and indirect effects between air pollution and precautionary behavior is established. Air pollution has a positive effect on proactive defensive behaviors, reflected in increased purchases of preventive products, and this effect is partially mediated by online media coverage and the public's Internet searches. Air pollution also motivates passive defensive behaviors, reflected in decreased purchases of outdoor sports products, and this effect is partially mediated by social media coverage. These results suggest that governments could improve the quality of policy making by considering the different roles of various forms of online public attention in the public's risk perceptions of and reactions to air pollution.

KW - Air pollution

KW - Bayesian structural equation modeling

KW - Internet search

KW - Precautionary behaviors

KW - Risk perception

KW - Social media

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DO - 10.1016/j.jmse.2021.09.002

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

SN - 2096-2320

VL - 7

SP - 159

EP - 172

JO - Journal of Management Science and Engineering

JF - Journal of Management Science and Engineering

IS - 1

ER -

Mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Signaling and Countersignaling: The Role of Social Relations

The Invisible Hand of Social Capital: Gender Inequality in Academic Publishing

Dynamic Customer Segmentation: A Factorial Hidden Markov Approach

Cite this

Mediation effects of online public attention on the relationship between air pollution and precautionary behavior

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Signaling and Countersignaling: The Role of Social Relations

The Invisible Hand of Social Capital: Gender Inequality in Academic Publishing

Dynamic Customer Segmentation: A Factorial Hidden Markov Approach

Cite this