Reduced Risk Information Seeking Model (RISK): A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This meta-analysis synthesizes research findings from 50 studies to assess the explanatory power of the reduced risk information seeking model (RISK). The results show that informational subjective norms have the largest effect size, followed by sufficiency threshold and current knowledge. This finding suggests that risk information seeking behavior is largely determined by social motivations. In addition, the relationships between current knowledge and seeking, as well as between sufficiency threshold and seeking, are stronger when a risk is viewed as personally relevant. Moreover, the relationship between current knowledge and seeking is stronger in studies where participants report higher risk perception.