This study investigates how posting information about the Zika virus on social media, and receiving information about Zika through the same platforms, are associated with personal, societal and global risk perceptions, and whether different types of risk perceptions are related to information seeking and preventive behavior intentions. A survey of U.S. participants (N = 958) revealed that posting information on social media is positively associated with personal and societal risk perceptions but not with global risk perceptions. Receiving information through social media, however, is positively associated with personal, societal and global risk perceptions. Personal and societal risk perceptions are associated with high information seeking intentions, which in turn leads to preventive behavioral intentions. The results suggest that so-called risk butterflies—those who frequently post information on social media—relate the health crisis to themselves and to their communities, and that these are important motivations for information-seeking and risk preventive behavior.

本研究调查在社交媒体上发布有关寨卡病毒的信息以及通过相同平台接收有关寨卡病毒的信息如何与个人、社会和全球风险认知相关，以及不同类型的风险认知是否与信息寻求和预防行为相关意图。美国参与者的调查（N= 958) 表明，在社交媒体上发布信息与个人和社会风险认知呈正相关，但与全球风险认知无关。然而，通过社交媒体接收信息与个人、社会和全球风险认知呈正相关。个人和社会风险认知与高信息寻求意图相关，这反过来又导致预防性行为意图。结果表明，所谓的风险蝴蝶——那些经常在社交媒体上发布信息的人——将健康危机与他们自己和他们的社区联系起来，这些是寻求信息和预防风险行为的重要动机。