Wu Jingwen, Kim Sok-Tae
International Economics & Trade, Guangzhou College of Technology and Business, Guangzhou, China.
International Trade, Dongguk University, Seoul, South Korea.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):21727. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-04446-x.
The media's influence on public attitudes and decisions exhibits a dual nature, serving as a catalyst for both positive and negative perceptions, especially regarding autonomous vehicles (AVs). Although extensive research has addressed the role of social and mass media in this domain, the differential impacts of mass media and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on the adoption of these technologies remain underexplored. To bridge this gap, this study explores how various media channels shape public perception and adoption intentions toward AVs. A key innovation of this study lies in its integration of the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model and social cognitive theory (SCT) to examine how external environmental stimuli and internal belief systems jointly shape consumer behavior in autonomous vehicles. Methodologically, the study employed a structured questionnaire to survey Chinese consumers, gathering data on their media-influenced perceptions. This study's theoretical implications were grounded in the TAM framework. Two types of external environmental stimuli: mass media and electronic word-of-mouth, were introduced, enriching the environmental variable system of the technology adoption model. Secondly, by using the integrated perspective of SOR-SCT, it revealed the differentiated influence mechanisms of different information sources on consumers' adoption intentions through three psychological paths: self-efficacy, subjective norms, and trust. Practically, the research offers insights into how service providers can strategically use media channels to enhance public acceptance of new technologies. The results indicate that mass media has a positive impact on the public's willingness to adopt autonomous vehicles. EWOM facilitated the creation of subjective norms by providing authentic, transparent, and diverse information, as well as enabling interaction with other users.
媒体对公众态度和决策的影响具有双重性，它是积极和消极认知的催化剂，尤其是在自动驾驶汽车（AVs）方面。尽管已有大量研究探讨了社会和大众媒体在这一领域的作用，但大众媒体和电子口碑（eWOM）对这些技术采用的不同影响仍未得到充分探索。为了弥补这一差距，本研究探讨了各种媒体渠道如何塑造公众对自动驾驶汽车的认知和采用意愿。本研究的一个关键创新在于将刺激-机体-反应（SOR）模型和社会认知理论（SCT）相结合，以研究外部环境刺激和内部信念系统如何共同塑造消费者在自动驾驶汽车方面的行为。在方法论上，该研究采用结构化问卷对中国消费者进行调查，收集他们受媒体影响的认知数据。本研究的理论意义基于技术接受模型（TAM）框架。引入了两种外部环境刺激：大众媒体和电子口碑，丰富了技术采用模型的环境变量系统。其次，通过运用SOR-SCT的综合视角，它通过自我效能感、主观规范和信任这三条心理路径揭示了不同信息源对消费者采用意愿的差异化影响机制。在实践方面，该研究为服务提供商如何战略性地利用媒体渠道提高公众对新技术的接受度提供了见解。结果表明，大众媒体对公众采用自动驾驶汽车的意愿有积极影响。电子口碑通过提供真实、透明和多样的信息以及促进与其他用户的互动，促进了主观规范的形成。
