Re: The "Nasty Effect:" Online Incivility and Risk Perceptio
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 6:27 pm
Results
Overall, the regression model explained 17.0 percent of the variation of risk perception (see Table 1).
Cell entries are final standardized regression coefficients for Blocks 1 through 5 and before-entry standardized regression coefficients for Block 6.
ap < .05,
bp < .01,
cp < .001.
The condition and demographic blocks contributed to 2.0 and 4.5 percent of the explained variance, respectively. Our findings did not demonstrate a significant direct relationship between exposure to incivility and risk perceptions. Thus, our first hypothesis was not supported. Age was positively related to nanotechnology risk perception, and this demographic remained significant after adding the nanotechnology familiarity, support, and efficacy variables to the model (β = .07; p < .05). Women showed stronger perceptions of risk related to nanotechnology, although this relationship became nonsignificant after adding the familiarity, support, and efficacy variables. Neither religiosity nor ideology had a direct significant relationship with nanotechnology risk perception, and this block only contributed 0.2 percent to the regression's explained variation.
Newspaper use was positively related to risk perception (β = .12; p < .01), but television use showed no relationship. Internet use was significantly and negatively related to risk perception of nanotechnology (β = −.15; p < .001). The media use block had an incremental R2 of 3.5 percent.
Nanotechnology familiarity (β = −.12; p < .01) and nanotechnology support (β = −.23; p < .001) were both significantly and negatively related to risk perception of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology efficacy was positively related to risk perception (β = .10; p < .01), and this block contributed 7.1 percent to the explained variation of this model.
The interaction block (incremental R2 = 1.0 percent) showed that online incivility does indeed have a polarizing effect on attitudes when considering certain predispositions of support and religiosity. However, the interaction between familiarity with nanotechnology and incivility was not significant. Thus, our second hypothesis was not supported. We did find a significant interaction between support for nanotechnology and incivility on risk perceptions (β = .09; p < .01). When exposed to uncivil comments, those who have higher levels of support for nanotechnology were more likely to report lower levels of risk perception and those with low levels of support were more likely to report higher levels of risk perception (see Figure 1). This supports our third hypothesis. Our findings also reveal a significant interaction between religiosity and incivility on risk perception (β = −.07; p < .05). Among those exposed to uncivil comments, those with high levels of religiosity were more likely to report higher levels of risk perception and those with low levels of religiosity were more likely to report lower levels of risk perception (see Figure 2). This finding supports our fourth hypothesis.
Figure 1. Interaction Effect of Online Civility Condition and Support for Nanotechnology on Risk Perception of NanotechnologyNote: Nanotechnology Risk Perception is measured from 1–5 (benefit < risk).
Figure 2. Interaction Effect of Online Civility Condition and Religiosity on Risk Perception of NanotechnologyNote: Nanotechnology Risk Perception is measured from 1–5 (benefit < risk).
Overall, the regression model explained 17.0 percent of the variation of risk perception (see Table 1).
Cell entries are final standardized regression coefficients for Blocks 1 through 5 and before-entry standardized regression coefficients for Block 6.
ap < .05,
bp < .01,
cp < .001.
The condition and demographic blocks contributed to 2.0 and 4.5 percent of the explained variance, respectively. Our findings did not demonstrate a significant direct relationship between exposure to incivility and risk perceptions. Thus, our first hypothesis was not supported. Age was positively related to nanotechnology risk perception, and this demographic remained significant after adding the nanotechnology familiarity, support, and efficacy variables to the model (β = .07; p < .05). Women showed stronger perceptions of risk related to nanotechnology, although this relationship became nonsignificant after adding the familiarity, support, and efficacy variables. Neither religiosity nor ideology had a direct significant relationship with nanotechnology risk perception, and this block only contributed 0.2 percent to the regression's explained variation.
Newspaper use was positively related to risk perception (β = .12; p < .01), but television use showed no relationship. Internet use was significantly and negatively related to risk perception of nanotechnology (β = −.15; p < .001). The media use block had an incremental R2 of 3.5 percent.
Nanotechnology familiarity (β = −.12; p < .01) and nanotechnology support (β = −.23; p < .001) were both significantly and negatively related to risk perception of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology efficacy was positively related to risk perception (β = .10; p < .01), and this block contributed 7.1 percent to the explained variation of this model.
The interaction block (incremental R2 = 1.0 percent) showed that online incivility does indeed have a polarizing effect on attitudes when considering certain predispositions of support and religiosity. However, the interaction between familiarity with nanotechnology and incivility was not significant. Thus, our second hypothesis was not supported. We did find a significant interaction between support for nanotechnology and incivility on risk perceptions (β = .09; p < .01). When exposed to uncivil comments, those who have higher levels of support for nanotechnology were more likely to report lower levels of risk perception and those with low levels of support were more likely to report higher levels of risk perception (see Figure 1). This supports our third hypothesis. Our findings also reveal a significant interaction between religiosity and incivility on risk perception (β = −.07; p < .05). Among those exposed to uncivil comments, those with high levels of religiosity were more likely to report higher levels of risk perception and those with low levels of religiosity were more likely to report lower levels of risk perception (see Figure 2). This finding supports our fourth hypothesis.
Figure 1. Interaction Effect of Online Civility Condition and Support for Nanotechnology on Risk Perception of NanotechnologyNote: Nanotechnology Risk Perception is measured from 1–5 (benefit < risk).
Figure 2. Interaction Effect of Online Civility Condition and Religiosity on Risk Perception of NanotechnologyNote: Nanotechnology Risk Perception is measured from 1–5 (benefit < risk).