This article describes how the effectiveness of risk communication is determined by the interaction between emotional and informative elements. An experiment is described that examined the role of negative emotion in communication about CO2 risks. This experiment was based on the elaboration likelihood model and the related heuristic systematic model of attitude formation. The results indicated that inducing fear of CO2 risks leads to systematic processing of information about energy conservation as a risk-reducing strategy. In turn, this results in more favorable attitudes toward energy conservation if strong arguments are provided. Individual differences in concern seem to have similar effects.

The present experiment examined the impact of fear on attitudes and the mediating role of information processing. Fear and argument strength were manipulated according to a 3 x 2 (Fear: Control vs. Moderate Fear vs. High Fear x Arguments: Weak vs. Strong) betweensubjects design. Fear was aroused with regard to the risks associated with global warming. and the information to be processed was a persuasive message about energy-consening light bulbs. The results indicate that both moderate and high levels of fear had an impact on attitudes. Moderate fear resulted in more positive attitudes toward energy-saving bulbs, but only when strong arguments in favor of these bulbs were provided. High fear had a positive effect on attitudes, regardless of argument strength. It is concluded that fear may influence attitudes both in a direct and an indirect way, mediated by information processing. Whether the direct or the indirect effect dominates appears to depend on fear intensity.Since the end of the last century, the earth's atmosphere has been warning up, which may affect our climate and sea level (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 1995). There are now strong indications that this warming-up effect is at least partially a result of human activities. The increasing consumption of energy, generated through the burning of fossil fiels, makes a particular contribution to the antropogeneous greenhouse effect, the greenhouse effect caused by humans.

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