ABSTRACT
Results from a laboratory experiment indicate that information about risk probability affects the belief that drinking parasite-infested tap water leads to personal illness. In line with Fishbein and Ajzen’s theory of reasoned action, this behavioral belief combined with other components of cognitive structure to affect subjects’ attitudes toward the act of drinking the water. These attitudes, along with subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, then affected behavioral intention to drink the water. Message stylistic variables interacted with information about the characteristics of the hazard to affect personal belief about risk from the contamination. In general, key concepts regarding risk- related behavior are accommodated well by Fishbein and Ajzen’s theory, which appears to be very useful for exploring the effects of risk communication.
