Through narratives we learn: Exploring knowledge-building as a marketing strategy for prosocial water reuse

Planned water reuse is a viable way to increase potable water supplies for the growing human population and industrialization; however, consumers’ low acceptance of treated wastewater remains a critical obstacle to planned reuse water implementation. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that affect the ingestion of educational materials and the storytelling process through which consumers form attitudes and intentions. We explore how water reuse knowledge (including actual and perceived knowledge), framing of the narrative message, media credibility, and individual culture affect consumer acceptance of planned reuse, after receiving educational material regarding water reuse. Anchoring on narrative transportation theory, a series of three studies test the hypotheses (pooled N = 893). The results show that actual and perceived knowledge affects trust, attitude, and intention to consume reuse water. Consumers’ long-term orientation influences acceptance of reuse water, while benefit emphasis of the message and media credibility do not have significance.