Zhixu Yang1, Ziqiang Xin2. 1. School of Economics, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China. 2. School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has elicited concerns about public fear and economic fallout. The current study takes a person-oriented approach to identify the unique response patterns that underlie three risk perception components (likelihood, severity, and protection efficacy) of COVID-19, with information sources as precursors and economic confidence as outcomes. METHODS: A total of 1,074 Chinese citizens participated in a national online survey in early February 2020. RESULTS: A latent profile analysis showed that participants exhibited one of three classes: Risk Neutrals (49.9%; moderate in all components), Risk Deniers (14.3%; low likelihood, low severity, and high protection efficacy), or Risk Exaggerators (35.8%; high likelihood, high severity, and low protection efficacy). Subsequent analyses showed that reliance on unofficial sources (gossip and news spread among friends; WeChat) positively correlated with membership in the Risk Exaggerators class. In turn, belonging in the Risk Exaggerators class correlated with the lowest short-term (but not long-term) economic confidence. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that exploring the heterogeneity of the public risk perception might help the government to design differentiated risk communication strategies during the COVID-19 outbreak.
BACKGROUND: The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has elicited concerns about public fear and economic fallout. The current study takes a person-oriented approach to identify the unique response patterns that underlie three risk perception components (likelihood, severity, and protection efficacy) of COVID-19, with information sources as precursors and economic confidence as outcomes. METHODS: A total of 1,074 Chinese citizens participated in a national online survey in early February 2020. RESULTS: A latent profile analysis showed that participants exhibited one of three classes: Risk Neutrals (49.9%; moderate in all components), Risk Deniers (14.3%; low likelihood, low severity, and high protection efficacy), or Risk Exaggerators (35.8%; high likelihood, high severity, and low protection efficacy). Subsequent analyses showed that reliance on unofficial sources (gossip and news spread among friends; WeChat) positively correlated with membership in the Risk Exaggerators class. In turn, belonging in the Risk Exaggerators class correlated with the lowest short-term (but not long-term) economic confidence. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that exploring the heterogeneity of the public risk perception might help the government to design differentiated risk communication strategies during the COVID-19 outbreak.