Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People's Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China.

There was a close relationship between the risk perception and the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors. At the same time, the use of media not only directly affected the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors but also moderated the impact of risk perception on the self-protection intention. Specifically, official media directly strengthened the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors. Online websites not only directly affected self-protection intention but also moderated the effect of risk perception on it. Although overseas media had no direct effect on self-protection intention, they moderated the effect of risk perception on it. These conclusions have policy implications for governments' response to the COVID-19 epidemic.