Shaping Sustainability: Public Perception Towards Water Consumption

Abstract

Understanding public perception towards water consumption is crucial for promoting sustainable water management, shaping effective policies, and enhancing the awareness of water conservation in diverse communities. Although previous works have studied water consumption from self-reported data and motivations, the topic has not been analyzed from the perspective of cognition from social media. Given the significance of social media's broad reach, real-time engagement, and the diverse demographic representation it offers, understanding how public perception is reflected in online discussions can provide valuable insights into societal attitudes, concerns, and behavioral trends related to water consumption. In this work, we performed a cognitive analysis, based on Reddit discussions about water consumption. Our approach includes both sentiment analysis, representing conscious attitudes, and concept mapping analysis, which captures subconscious cognitive frameworks. Sentiment analysis shows overall positive polarity on Reddit with key aspects of water consumption, while concept mapping reveals cognitive frameworks shaping perceptions. Together, these insights inform communication strategies and policy on water conservation.