Li Nuoxue, Zeng Weixi, Yin Susu, Zhao Lixia
University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China.
Front Public Health. 2025 May 14;13:1557786. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1557786. eCollection 2025.
Conspiracy narratives are a prevalent narrative framework in risk communication, often provoking public fear and defensive reactions, challenging the healthy interaction between governments and the public in social governance.
Through two survey experiments, this study explores the effects of conspiracy narratives on public trust in government and the moderating role of policy expectations.
In Study 1 ( = 119), conspiracy narratives increased public perceptions of and concerns about the risks of genetically modified (GM) foods. As a result, the public was more likely to expect the government to adopt a strictly restrictive control policy on GM foods. Study 2 ( = 119) further reveals that public trust in the government increases when the public perceives the government as implementing a restrictive policy on GM foods. Conversely, public trust declines if the government is perceived to promote GM foods actively. Policy satisfaction plays a fully mediating role in this process.
The study reveals the influence mechanism of conspiracy narratives on government trust, offering both a theoretical basis and practical recommendations for effective government communication and the development of harmonious government-public relations.
阴谋论叙事是风险沟通中一种普遍的叙事框架，常常引发公众的恐惧和防御性反应，挑战政府与公众在社会治理中的良性互动。
通过两项调查实验，本研究探讨了阴谋论叙事对公众对政府信任的影响以及政策期望的调节作用。
在研究1（n = 119）中，阴谋论叙事增加了公众对转基因食品风险的认知和担忧。因此，公众更有可能期望政府对转基因食品采取严格的限制控制政策。研究2（n = 119）进一步表明，当公众认为政府对转基因食品实施限制政策时，公众对政府的信任会增加。相反，如果公众认为政府积极推广转基因食品，公众信任则会下降。政策满意度在这一过程中起完全中介作用。
该研究揭示了阴谋论叙事对政府信任的影响机制，为有效的政府沟通及和谐的政府-公众关系发展提供了理论依据和实践建议。
