Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model: A Meta-Analysis

This study relies on state‐of‐the‐art meta‐analytical techniques to assess overall effects of the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model. The results support the utility of the RISP model in predicting risk information seeking and systematic processing. However, the model demonstrated limited explanatory power for heuristic processing. A reduced model composed of only 2 variables—current knowledge and informational subjective norms—accounted for a substantial proportion of variance in the outcome variables. This more parsimonious explanation of information seeking and systematic processing might extend the utility of the RISP model to other communication settings not related to risk. Theoretical boundaries of the RISP model and implications for future research are discussed.