Aquatic pharmaceutical pollution poses ecotoxicological risks to the environment and human health. Consumer pharmaceutical use and disposal behaviors represent a significant source of pharmaceutical compounds in surface waters, and communication strategies are needed to promote pro-environmental behaviors to reduce pharmaceutical pollution. Designing effective risk communication campaigns requires an understanding of public perceptions of aquatic pharmaceutical pollution. The purpose of this mixed-methods pilot study was to test the efficacy of using theories from cognitive linguistics and psychology (conceptual metaphor theory and construal level theory of psychological distance, respectively) in using metaphors in pharmaceutical pollution risk communication. Our methods included a randomized cross-over design in which a convenience sample of university students ( n = 20) viewed visual representations of pharmaceutical pollution risks (metaphor based and non-metaphor). We used cognitive interviewing methods to assess metaphor use on participants understanding of pharmaceutical pollution risk, concern about this risk, and willingness to act. Results indicate that participants preferred the metaphorically-framed visual, and that the use of metaphor significantly reduced participants’ perceived social and geographic distance of pharmaceutical pollution risk, suggesting a relationship between metaphoric framing and psychological distance warranting additional research. Theoretical and practical implications of metaphor use in risk communications are discussed.

中文翻译：

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你的水体中有什么？使用隐喻框架缩小药物污染风险沟通心理距离的初步研究

水生药物污染对环境和人类健康构成生态毒理学风险。消费者药物使用和处置行为是地表水中药物化合物的重要来源，需要沟通策略来促进环保行为以减少药物污染。设计有效的风险沟通活动需要了解公众对水生药物污染的看法。这项混合方法试点研究的目的是测试使用认知语言学和心理学理论（分别为概念隐喻理论和心理距离的解释水平理论）在药物污染风险沟通中使用隐喻的有效性。我们的方法包括一个随机交叉设计，其中一个方便的大学生样本（n = 20）查看了药物污染风险的视觉表现（基于隐喻和非隐喻）。我们使用认知访谈方法来评估参与者使用隐喻对药品污染风险的理解、对这种风险的担忧以及采取行动的意愿。结果表明，参与者更喜欢隐喻框架的视觉效果，并且隐喻的使用显着降低了参与者对药物污染风险的感知社会和地理距离，这表明隐喻框架与心理距离之间的关系值得进一步研究。讨论了在风险沟通中使用隐喻的理论和实践意义。