From Responsibility to Response: How Attribution Shapes Support for PFAS Risk Mitigation

Addressing environmental problems requires accountability. While governments and corporations play a role, how individuals attribute responsibility for solving these problems can influence pivotal attitudes and behaviors. We examine attribution of responsibility in the context of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). U.S. participants (N = 3,611) were randomly assigned to messages emphasizing individual or societal-level responsibility, or to a no-message control. Results from structural equation modeling showed that both individual and societal attribution increased trust in government, which subsequently contributed to policy support and behavioral intention through risk perception and self-efficacy. Political ideology moderated the relationship between attribution of responsibility and behavioral intention, with exposure to both individual and societal attribution messages increasing behavioral intention among liberals and moderates, but not among conservatives. These findings reveal key mechanisms underlying attribution messaging effects in a fractured political environment and offer practical insights for PFAS communication.