The role of emotional appeal in water conservation communication: a framework for social media engagement

Abu Bakar, Mohammad Fahmi and Wu, Wenyan and Proverbs, David and Mavritsaki, Eirini (2024) The role of emotional appeal in water conservation communication: a framework for social media engagement. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 10 (4). ISSN 2363-5037

Preview

Text s40899-024-01132-0.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB)

Abstract

Amidst growing concerns about water shortages, harnessing the potential of social media emerges as a crucial strategy in attempts to conserve consumption While informative messaging in environmental communication has been widely acknowledged, the role of emotional appeal remains underexplored. This study aims to bridge this gap by proposing a comprehensive framework that integrates emotional appeal, evoked through video creativity and multimedia effects. Focusing on the UK context and informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), the study highlights the complex interplay between cognitive and affective factors in water conservation communication. By applying Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to a dataset containing 443 responses, the analysis reveals that emotional appeal, when evoked through creativity, not only positively influences individuals’ attitudes but also extends to shape perceived behavioural control. These findings further emphasise the ability of emotional appeal to serve as a complementary aspect that enriches individuals’ motivational framework and influences their inclination towards engaging in the intended behaviour. The study has important implications for improving current marketing efforts and encouraging behavioural shifts among water consumers. By including emotional appeal in social media communication strategies, environmental communicators can build empathy and promote sustainability more effectively. Additionally, this study offers a valuable understanding of the complex nature of water conservation communication, providing practical strategies for enhancing environmental messaging and encouraging positive behaviour changes.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1007/s40899-024-01132-0
Dates:	Date Event 4 July 2024 Accepted 17 July 2024 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Effective communication, ELM, Emotional appeal, Informativeness, TPB, Water conservation
Subjects:	CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-01 - psychology (non-specific) CAH10 - engineering and technology > CAH10-01 - engineering > CAH10-01-01 - engineering (non-specific) CAH10 - engineering and technology > CAH10-01 - engineering > CAH10-01-08 - electrical and electronic engineering
Divisions:	Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences > Dept. Psychology Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment > College of Engineering
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	13 Aug 2024 10:31
Last Modified:	13 Aug 2024 10:31
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/15722

Actions (login required)

View Item