This experimental study tested the effects of digital tactical messaging on 189 undergraduates’ drought risk responsiveness using a mobile serious game. In the game’s virtual household environment, treatment groups were exposed to message framings informed by risk psychological theories. Drought risk responsiveness was indicated by participants’ in-game water consumption levels. The first intervention entailed treatment groups receiving advisories about an impending drought whose magnitude and likelihood varied for different groups. Next, groups would either receive a message reinforcing the efficacy, or social acceptability, of conserving and rationing water during a drought condition. Lastly, groups received a message about a water rationing exercise that they could participate in. Factorial analyses showed that knowing the severity and likelihood of an impending drought did not affect drought risk responsiveness. However, norms- and efficacy-framed messages, as well as rationing exercises, influenced risk responsiveness. The study is expected to be instructive to policymakers and practitioners interested in digitally communicating drought risk and adaptation to the public.

这项实验研究使用移动严肃游戏测试了数字战术信息对 189 名本科生干旱风险响应的影响。在游戏的虚拟家庭环境中，治疗组会接触到由风险心理学理论提供的信息框架。参与者在游戏中的用水量水平表明了干旱风险响应能力。第一项干预措施是让治疗组接受有关即将发生的干旱的咨询，其程度和可能性因不同的组而异。接下来，小组将收到一条信息，以加强在干旱条件下保护和配给水的功效或社会可接受性。最后，小组收到了有关他们可以参与的配水练习的消息。因子分析表明，了解即将发生的干旱的严重程度和可能性不会影响干旱风险响应能力。然而，规范和有效性框架信息以及配给练习影响了风险响应能力。预计该研究将对有兴趣以数字方式向公众传达干旱风险和适应的政策制定者和从业者具有指导意义。