환경 위험 보도가 어떻게 외집단 인식으로 이어지는가?: 중국 관련 미세먼지 뉴스 노출이 제노포비아에 미치는 영향

초록

This study examines how exposure to China-related fine dust news is associated with xenophobia toward Chinese individuals within the framework of protection motivation theory. Specifically, it investigates whether such news exposure influences perceived severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy, and whether these variables mediate the relationship between news exposure and xenophobia. The study also examines the moderating role of contact experience with Chinese individuals. An online survey was conducted with 1,012 adults who regularly use online news, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 and the PROCESS macro. The results showed that exposure to China-related fine dust news had significant positive effects on perceived severity, response efficacy, and selfefficacy, whereas its direct effect on xenophobia was not significant. Perceived severity and response efficacy had significant positive effects on xenophobia and mediated the relationship between news exposure and xenophobia. In contrast, the direct effect of self-efficacy on xenophobia and the indirect effect through self-efficacy were not significant. Contact experience with Chinese individuals significantly moderated the positive indirect effect through perceived severity, such that this indirect effect weakened as contact increased. These findings suggest that environmental risk news may shape outgroup perceptions through risk perception and coping appraisal, providing empirical evidence for the psychological pathway through which environmental and public health issues can become linked to social prejudice.

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