Uncertainty in flux The temporal dynamics of attitudinal ambivalence and risk perception

This dissertation investigates how temporal dynamics at both micro and macro levels influence attitudinal and motivational processes in the contexts of attitudinal ambivalence (Part I) and risk perception (Part II). It examines (a) the sequential processes underlying the emergence and resolution of felt ambivalence; (b) the motivational effects of repeated experiences of ambivalence and risk exposure across time; and (c) potential historical shifts in the roles of desires for subjective knowledge and personal control in shaping the effect of trust on risk perception.
Part I (Chapters 2 to 4) investigates the mechanisms underlying the emergence and resolution of felt ambivalence, employing a temporal perspective alongside experimental and experience-sampling methodologies. Additionally, it connects the constructs of attitudinal ambivalence and cognitive dissonance across a temporal dimension. Part II (Chapters 5 and 6) examines the moderators of the relationship between trust and risk perception, focusing on the comparative effects of subjective knowledge and personal control as well as their boundary conditions of descriptive and experiential exposure to a risk.
In sum, across five empirical chapters and utilizing a multi-method approach, this dissertation provides novel insights into the temporal dynamics governing attitudinal ambivalence and risk perception. The dissertation demonstrates that a temporal perspective in examining these psychological processes opens up new research questions and enhances existing theoretical frameworks. Furthermore, the findings offer practical implications for designing more effective attitude and behavior change interventions.