{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T18:59:34Z","timestamp":1791572374539,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767744000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":6,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]],"date-time":"2026-01-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767225600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Bioelectromagnetics"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This study investigates how different types of precautionary information affect risk perception and trust in national radiation protection authorities regarding radio\u2010frequency electromagnetic fields (RF\u2010EMF) from mobile communications, with a specific focus on 5G networks. A total of 2169 participants (1040 in Germany, 1129 in Greece) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) basic information, (2) simple precautionary information regarding possibilities to reduce personal RF\u2010EMF exposure while using a mobile phone, and (3) conceptual precautionary information, including an explanation distinguishing \u201cprecaution\u201d from \u201cprevention\u201d (1\u2009\u00d7\u20093 factorial design). Contrary to the expectation that simple precautionary messages lead to higher risk perception and lower trust compared to basic messages, this was only the case for general conditional risk perception assuming that no precautions are taken, but not for affective risk perception, trust, or general conditional risk perception assuming that precautions are taken. Notably, providing a more elaborate explanation of the precaution\/prevention distinction did not decrease risk perception or increase trust compared to giving simple precautionary information only, and even increased risk perception compared to basic information. This suggests limited benefit in emphasizing this conceptual nuance of precaution. Considering other variables, precautionary information increased feelings of self\u2010efficacy and perception of message consistency. The findings reveal significant country differences: Greek participants reported higher perceived risks and lower trust than German participants. Gender differences also emerged, with women expressing higher risk perception and less trust than men. In contrast to the previous literature, the results suggest that precautionary information concerning personal mobile phone use can be communicated without leading to higher public concern about RF\u2010EMF exposure from mobile communications. However, we found some evidence that adding conceptual explanations to precautionary information leads to higher risk perception. The results also show that considering sociocultural and individual differences in risk communication can be relevant. Possible explanations for the findings and implications for risk communicators are discussed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/bem.70042","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T13:13:39Z","timestamp":1767791619000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["RF\u2010EMF Risk Perception and Trust in Radiation Protection Authorities: A Comparative Study on Precautionary Information in Germany and Greece"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"47","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9749-7321","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marie","family":"Eggeling\u2010B\u00f6cker","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for Social Sciences IU International University of Applied Sciences Erfurt Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9902-0348","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Efthymios","family":"Karabetsos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Greek Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE) Athens Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Christopoulou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Greek Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE) Athens Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-5995-4495","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah C.","family":"Link","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for Social Sciences IU International University of Applied Sciences Erfurt Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ferdinand","family":"Abacioglu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for Social Sciences IU International University of Applied Sciences Erfurt Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christoph","family":"Boehmert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for Social Sciences IU International University of Applied Sciences Erfurt Germany"},{"name":"Aalen University Aalen Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_12_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13669877.2019.1592211"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12940-018-0377-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph13100992"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/risa.12634"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s44206-024-00148-5"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_7_1","unstructured":"Bundesamt f\u00fcr Strahlenschutz.2024. \u201cStrahlenschutz beim Mobilfunk.\u201dhttps:\/\/www.bfs.de\/DE\/themen\/emf\/mobilfunk\/mobilfunk_node.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_8_1","unstructured":"Bundesamt f\u00fcr Strahlenschutz.2025. \u201cKompetenzzentrum elektromagnetische Felder: Forschung.\u201dhttps:\/\/www.bfs.de\/DE\/themen\/emf\/kompetenzzentrum\/forschung\/forschung_node.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_9_1","unstructured":"Bundesregierung Deutschland.2024. \u201cDeutschland spricht \u00fcber 5G. 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