Influence of trust on two different risk perceptions as an affective and cognitive dimension during Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in South Korea: serial cross-sectional surveys

Jang, Won Mo; Kim, Un-Na; Jang, Deok Hyun; Jung, Hyemin; Cho, Sanghyun; Eun, Sang Jun; Lee, Jin Yong

First, we found that affective risk perception responded faster and lasts longer. The affective risk perception proportions were always higher than at the cognitive dimension. Risk However, our results are inconsistent with previous studies that affective reaction tends to appear in early epidemic periods. 12 17 Relevant research in risk perception have proposed that affective reaction is fast, efficient, automatic, experiential compared to cognitive reaction. [14] [15] [16] We can consider the possibility that damaged trust in government as a responsible risk manager may had further evoked the emotional risk perception. 8 9 23-25 While the affective or cognitive reaction do not individually make an impact on the different stages of epidemic; however, they can affect it together, simultaneously, indicating both affective and cognitive risk perceptions. 12 17 26 29 Additional research is needed to understand why the affective risk perception was higher and lasted longer than that of the cognitive risk perception during MERS-CoV epidemic in South Korea.