Graduate School of Decision Sciences and Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2020 May 12;10(1):7845. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-62399-9.
Risk perceptions typically underlie a complex social dynamic: Risk-related information is transmitted between individuals, this information influences risk perceptions, and risk perceptions influence which information is transmitted. This can lead to a social amplification of risk. We test how stress, a widespread affective state, influences the social dynamics of risk perception. Participants (N = 146) read articles about the controversial antibacterial agent Triclosan and were then asked to inform another person about Triclosan. Before and after reading the articles, participants reported their concern about Triclosan. Stress exposure before the task led to a smaller increase in concern in response to the articles. The stronger the increase in cortisol, the smaller the increase in concern. Furthermore, participants in the stress group transmitted less negative information about Triclosan to others. In contrast, participants' subjective feelings of stress were associated with higher concern and more alarming risk communication. We conclude that feeling stressed can amplify risk perception, whereas the endocrine stress reaction can attenuate risk perception when information about risk is exchanged in a social context.
风险相关信息在个体之间传递，这些信息影响风险认知，而风险认知又影响信息的传递。这可能导致风险的社会放大。我们测试了压力（一种普遍的情感状态）如何影响风险认知的社会动态。参与者（N=146）阅读了关于有争议的抗菌剂三氯生的文章，然后被要求向另一个人介绍三氯生。在阅读文章之前和之后，参与者报告了他们对三氯生的担忧。任务前的压力暴露导致对文章的反应中担忧的增加幅度较小。皮质醇的增加幅度越大，担忧的增加幅度越小。此外，压力组的参与者向他人传播的关于三氯生的负面信息较少。相比之下，参与者的主观压力感与更高的担忧和更令人震惊的风险传播有关。我们的结论是，感到有压力会放大风险认知，而当在社会环境中交换风险信息时，内分泌应激反应可以减轻风险认知。
