Information seeking behavior about obesity among South Koreans: applying the risk information seeking and processing model

Abstract

Using national online panel survey data (N = 1,000) in South Korea, this study applied the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model to examine how people are motivated to seek information about obesity. We added autonomous motivation and health consciousness to the RISP model to investigate their association with health information seeking behavior about obesity. We proposed that information seeking is influenced by information insufficiency, autonomous motivation that is associated with health consciousness, and negative affective response that is related to subjective norm and risk perception. Using structural equation modeling analysis, this study largely supported our hypotheses. The results revealed associations among the socio-psychological variables that predict information seeking behavior on obesity. We found that information insufficiency, autonomous motivation, and negative affective responses appeared to be strong predictors in seeking obesity-related information. These findings have practical implications for health communication efforts in an emerging obesity risk country.