The Roles of Perceived “Shared” Involvement and Information Overload in Understanding How Audiences make Meaning of News about Bioterrorism

This study integrated the situational theory of publics with theories in risk communication to explore reactions to simulated media coverage of food terrorism. Focus group participants, given news scenarios about a terrorist threat on a U.S. food product, discussed problem recognition, level of involvement, constraint recognition, fear, risk, and social connections. Findings revealed a sense of “shared” involvement that influenced how participants perceived risk. When participants perceived the source of information was in “the same boat” as them, they were more likely to pay attention. Also, news coverage increased feelings of “information overload,” which led participants to shut down cognitively and deny the need for protective action.