Direct Experiences, Negative Affect and Risk Perception about Climate Change

A survey was conducted in China to investigate how direct experience influences the individual. This study suggests that direct experience leads to higher level of negative affect and risk perception about climate change, and negative affect works as a mediator between direct experience and risk perception. 854 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Correlation analysis and difference analysis show that people with direct experience of risk events caused by climate change have significantly higher level of negative affect and risk perception. Mediation analysis shows that direct experience influences risk perception through negative affect. Furthermore we find that direct experience does not directly influence one out of four sub factors of risk perception about climate change, namely perceived instrumentality; negative affect works as a full mediator between direct experience and perceived instrumentality. We discuss the possible reasons and this is an issue needed further research.