We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Who worries about microplastics? The relative importance of personal values and individual risk judgements / ¿A quién le preocupan los microplásticos? La importancia relativa de los valores personales y los juicios individuales de riesgo
Summary
Researchers surveyed nearly 700 people in Norway to understand what drives public worry about microplastic pollution. They found that personal values and individual risk perceptions were the strongest predictors of concern, more so than demographic factors or general environmental attitudes. The study suggests that communication strategies about microplastic risks should account for how people personally evaluate threats rather than relying solely on scientific information.
An online survey was distributed to a national sample of the Norwegian public ( N = 699) to investigate factors associated with the extent to which people worry about microplastics. Respondents were asked about their familiarity with and the extent to which they worry about the issue, after which they answered a battery of questions about their perceptions of risk and personal values. Microplastics were judged to be moderately known, somewhat uncontrollable, very threatening to humankind, and even more so to plants and animals. Perceived personal threat was lower than that to plants, animals and humankind. Regression analyses predicted worry about microplastics from sociodemographic variables and personal values, and from different aspects of people’s risk perceptions. Gender, age group, education level, and endorsing self-transcendence over self-enhancement values predicted greater worry, yet these variables were not significantly associated when risk perceptions were included in the regression model. These findings shed further light on how individual risk judgements can explain self-reported levels of worry about microplastics, beyond individual differences in personal values.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
An empirical assessment of worry about microplastics among the Norwegian public
Researchers surveyed 699 Norwegian adults online about their familiarity with and worry about microplastics, along with risk perception components including controllability, threat level, and personal values. Women and older respondents reported higher worry, and those endorsing self-transcendence values showed greater concern, though these demographic and value associations became non-significant once risk perception variables were included in the regression model.
Exploring public risk perceptions of microplastics: Findings from a cross‐national qualitative interview study among German and Italian citizens
Researchers conducted interviews with citizens in Germany and Italy to understand how ordinary people think about the risks of microplastics. They found that people often transferred their knowledge about large plastic pollution to microplastics, used concepts like accumulation and dose-response to reason about risks, and saw environmental and human health threats as closely connected. The study suggests that public risk perceptions of microplastics are shaped by intuitive reasoning and personal experiences rather than formal scientific knowledge.
What does the public think about microplastics? Insights from an empirical analysis of mental models elicited through free associations
Researchers surveyed 2,720 Norwegians and found that the public primarily associates microplastics with ocean pollution and harm to animals, while awareness of microplastic sources and potential solutions remains low, with responses varying by age, gender, education, and personal values.
Public perception of microplastics pollution in Switzerland: Psychological distance, concern, and willingness to engage in mitigation activities
Researchers surveyed over 900 people in Switzerland to understand how the public perceives microplastic pollution and their willingness to take action. The study found that people perceive microplastics as a relatively close threat on most psychological dimensions, and that concern about the issue, particularly concern for nature, is a stronger predictor of willingness to engage in mitigation activities than psychological distance alone.
Is the public really concerned about microplastics? The importance of measuring everyday relevance and behavioral intentions as well as stated concern
Researchers surveyed over 2,200 citizens in Germany and Italy to examine whether public concern about microplastics translates into everyday relevance and behavioral change. While stated concern was high in both countries, most people reported thinking or talking about microplastics only rarely, though they still expressed willingness to take action to reduce exposure. The study found that both stated concern and everyday relevance mediated the link between knowledge about microplastics and intentions to change behavior.