Impact of risk perception on emergency information seeking behavior: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Purpose: Risk perception significantly impacts how individuals assess risk, make decisions, and behave. While numerous studies have examined risk perception's impact on emergency information seeking behavior, the nature of the association remains unclear. Methods: This study established a theoretical framework, and a meta-analysis was conducted to examine risk perception's impact on emergency information seeking behavior. Fifty relevant studies (29,014 participants) covering risk perception and information seeking behavior data in four emergency scenarios were included. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between risk perception and emergency information seeking behavior. Further exploratory analysis indicated different impacts of risk perception on information seeking behavior in each type of emergency (natural disasters, public health accidents, and social security emergencies). Health and natural disaster emergencies had a significant positive moderating effect, whereas accidents and social security emergencies had a significant negative moderating effect. We found significant differences in the moderating effects of demographics (national development level and male proportion) and methodology (i.e., publication time, sample collection strategy, and measurement method). Furthermore, we evaluated the publication bias and literature quality to determine the robustness and scalability of the results. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, we present the first meta-analysis study on risk perception and emergency information seeking behavior, summarizing the rich empirical knowledge on these relationships. This study followed contemporary meta-analysis guidelines and best practices to generate transparent and replicable scientific findings. Our findings can help improve information dissemination's effectiveness in emergency situations and offer a theoretical foundation for strengthening public emergency response capabilities.