What’s in Your Body of Water? Reducing the Psychological Distance of Pharmaceutical Pollution through Metaphoric Framing in Risk Communication (A Pilot Study)

Aquatic pharmaceutical pollution poses ecotoxicological risks to the environment and human health. Consumer behaviors represent a significant source of pharmaceutical compounds found in water. Thus, understanding public perceptions of aquatic pharmaceutical pollution and developing effective risk communication techniques are critical to engaging society in the type of widespread change necessary for addressing the presence of pharmaceuticals in water. This mixed-methods pilot study applies conceptual metaphor theory in conjunction with construal level theory of psychological distance to assess the relationship of metaphoric framing to perceptions of aquatic pharmaceutical contamination across four principal dimensions of psychological distance (geographic, social, and temporal distance, and uncertainty). Additionally, this study assesses the direct impact of metaphor use on concern and willingness to act, which are positively associated with perceived psychological distance. Data were collected from a convenience sample (n = 20) of university students in Burlington, Vermont using cognitive interviewing. Results indicate that participants initially perceived pharmaceutical pollution as socially and geographically distant, temporally both distant and proximal, and agreed that the issue is certain. Representing aquatic pharmaceutical contamination through metaphor significantly reduced perceived social and geographic distance, suggesting a relationship between metaphoric framing and psychological distance warranting additional research. Metaphor use did not directly nor significantly impact concern or willingness to act. Additionally, participants preferred the metaphorically-framed visual intervention to the non-metaphor visual intervention. Theoretical and practical implications of metaphor use in risk communications are discussed.