Words That Warn: A Meta‐Analysis and a Systematic Review on How Media Exposure Shapes Natural Hazards Risk Perception

The research examines how exposure to risk communication about natural hazards across different media is associated with risk perception of those hazards. Although risk perception is a key driver of protective and adaptive behaviours, evidence on the role played by exposure to risk communication through different media remains fragmented. To address this gap, a meta-analysis and a systematic review were conducted. Fourteen articles were included in the systematic review, four in the meta-analysis (nine studies). Risk perception was operationalized across cognitive and affective dimensions: perceived vulnerability, severity, likelihood and worry/concern. Exposure to risk communication across different media was categorized by media type: legacy media, social media and interpersonal communication. The systematic review indicates that exposure to risk communication via legacy and social media is associated with higher risk perception, whereas exposure via interpersonal communication is not. Meta-analytic results show that exposure to risk communication via social media is associated with higher perceived vulnerability, whereas exposure via legacy media and interpersonal communication is not. No media was associated with perceived severity, although exposure via social media showed a positive trend. Overall, results provide some evidence of channel-specific associations between risk communication and risk perception, particularly for social media and perceived vulnerability. However, given the small number of studies included, these findings should be interpreted cautiously and cannot yet be considered conclusive evidence of differential effects across media channels, while urging for more targeted research.