Topic: COVID-19

Between the facts and a hard place: Trust judgments and affective responses in information-seeking processes during Early COVID-19

Ivanka Pjesivac, Eldredge, S., Dalton, E., & Miller, L. (2023). “Between the facts and a hard place: Trust judgments and affective responses in information-seeking processes during Early COVID-19,” Health Communication. Advance online publication: DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2023.2171561

Abstract: This study examined the formation of trust judgments of information sources about COVID-19 and the role played by emotions in this information seeking process. In-depth interviews with Americans revealed that both trust and affective responses were present in information seeking of health messages, thus discovering the applicability of Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model’s propositions during pandemics. Using qualitative methods to assess RISP variables in a new context (COVID-19), the study proposes modifications to the existing model. It also extends the socio- psychological traditions on which the RISP model was based, by finding that when evaluating information sources during pandemics, under conditions of high issue relevance, individuals’ peripheral evaluation of messages might precede systematic evaluation and might be used as a selection criteria for further elaboration. Finally, the assessments of source credibility as a peripheral cue in this study expand current theoretical understandings by including compassion as a possible new dimension.

How Motivation to Reduce Uncertainty Predicts COVID-19 Behavioral Responses: Strategic Health Communication Insights for Managing an Ongoing Pandemic

Sungsu Kim (PhD alum), Sung In Choi (PhD candidate), Chiara Valentini, Mark Badham, and Yan Jin. (forthcoming). “How Motivation to Reduce Uncertainty Predicts COVID-19 Behavioral Responses: Strategic Health Communication Insights for Managing an Ongoing Pandemic.” American Behavioral Scientist.

Abstract: During highly uncertain times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital to understand and predict individuals’ responses to governments’ crisis and risk communication. This study draws on the Orientation-Stimulus-Orientation-Response (O-S-O-R) model to examine (1) whether uncertainty reduction motivation (a pre-orientation factor) drove Americans to turn to traditional news media and/or social media (stimuli) to obtain COVID-19 information; (2) if these media preferences shaped their COVID-19 knowledge, cognitive information vetting, and trust in government communication (post-orientation factors); and finally (3) whether these factors contributed to their intended and actual behaviors (responses), such as getting vaccinated. Thus, this study explores how multiple communicative and cognitive mechanisms contribute to public compliance with government health recommendations during a pandemic. Mediation analyses showed positive indirect effects between uncertainty reduction motivation and behavioral outcomes via use of social media (in relation to traditional news media) and COVID-19 knowledge and cognitive information vetting. This study discusses theoretical and practical health communication implications of these findings.

ublic’s Health Information Consumption During a Prolonged Pandemic: The Competing Roles of Journalists and Digital Influencers and Their Effects in Combating Message Fatigue

Chiara Valentini, Elanor Colleoni, Yan Jin and Sung In Choi (PhD candidate) (2023, May). “Public’s Health Information Consumption During a Prolonged Pandemic: The Competing Roles of Journalists and Digital Influencers and Their Effects in Combating Message Fatigue.” Journalism Division, International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada.

Abstract: This study empirically investigates COVID-19 information consumption behaviors of individuals who show pandemic fatigue indications. Particularly, this study examines the relation between the type of information source—journalist versus digital influencer—, how people feel about the pandemic, how they cognitively cope with the information they receive, and in their overall message fatigue. Data collection took place in spring 2022 through a market research company on a representative sample of the population in Australia, Finland, Italy, Sweden, South Korea, and the United States of America. The sample comprises over 3000 respondents stratified by age, gender, education, and house income. Results show that consuming more journalists’ information helps people reduce cognitive coping and subsequent message fatigue, if individuals think those messages are highly credible. On the other hand, consuming more digital influencers’ information increases cognitive coping behavior and message fatigue. This study contributes to expand our understanding of the role of journalists vis-à-vis that of digital influencers during a global pandemic.

nderstanding the Impact of General Vaccine Attitudes on the Intent for Early COVID-19 Vaccination

  1. Boyle, Glen Nowak, R. Kinder, R. Iachan, and J. Dayton, “Understanding the Impact of General Vaccine Attitudes on the Intent for Early COVID-19 Vaccination,” Vaccines, 2023, 11(2), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11020235.

Abstract: This study provides a more comprehensive assessment of factors influencing willingness to get an early COVID-19 and the relative contribution of general vaccine attitudes, compared to demographics, perceived threat and institutional trust. Monthly national surveys were conducted between June and November 2020 using a national consumer panel of U.S. adults (n = 6185). By late November, only 24% of respondents said they were very likely to get a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it became available. While COVID-19 risk perceptions, confidence and trust in key institutions and information sources, and some demographic variables, were predictive of early vaccination intent, general beliefs regarding vaccines played a significant role, even compared to demographics, perceived risk and institutional trust. This lesson from the COVID-19 experience could help inform public health communications in future epidemics.

Society frowns upon spinning and so do the alleged spin doctors: Tests of present and future crisis communicators responding to spin in the media

David E. Clementson & Beatty, M. J. (in press). “Society frowns upon spinning and so do the alleged spin doctors: Tests of present and future crisis communicators responding to spin in the media.” Mass Communication and Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2022.2124920

Abstract: Although spin pervades mass communication, crisis communicators claim that they share society’s aversion to spin. Grounded upon image repair theory and the practical model for ethical decision making, we report two experiments testing the reactions of crisis communicators exposed to a media interview in which a company spokesperson either spins or provides answers in line with normative crisis communication. Study 1 (N = 261 public relations practitioners and professional journalists) tests whether crisis communicators’ cognitions align with those working in the media and with normative theory. Study 2 (N = 315 public relations students aspiring to work in the industry) provides a replication of Study 1 concerning the processing of spin and adds perceived competence as a theoretical variable. The studies indicate that present and future crisis communicators have positive attitudes toward the organization under scrutiny, sense more goodwill, and perceive the message source as more competent, when normative crisis messaging is used rather than spin. Mediation analysis demonstrates that increased goodwill leads to more positive attitudes toward the organization, which bolsters organizational reputation. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/ZNNFJFYVDWXIHKCRSZ7K/full?target=10.1080/15205436.2022.2124920

Between the facts and the hard place: Trust judgments and affective responses in information-seeking processes during early COVID-19

Ivanka Pjesivac, S. Eldredge, E. Dalton, and L. Miller. (May 2022). “Between the facts and the hard place: Trust judgments and affective responses in information-seeking processes during early COVID-19.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA). Paris, France.

Abstract: This study examined the formation of trust judgments of information sources about COVID-19 and the role played by emotions in this information seeking process. Twenty-seven in-depth interviews with Americans revealed that the participants used both peripheral and central routes of information processing. Important peripheral credibility cues were: source credibility (source expertise, compassion, proximity, and tone of delivery) and message design cues were: concise and ordered presentation of information and scannability of presented information. A more in-depth information processing included comparing multiple sources of information about COVID-19 and distinguishing facts from opinion while looking for bias. These processes were accompanied by mainly negative emotions, such as frustration, anger, stress, anxiety, and resignation, and one positive emotion: hope. The results are interpreted in light of Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of information processing.

Factors that impact COVID-19 conspirational beliefs and health-related behaviors

Ivanka Pjesivac, Leslie Klein (PhD student), Wenqing Zhao (PhD student),Xuerong Lu (recently graduated PhD student), and Yan Jin. (May 2022). “Factors that impact COVID-19 conspirational beliefs and health-related behaviors.” Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA). Paris, France.

Abstract: This study seeks to investigate the role of conspiratorial beliefs on health-related behaviors during COVID-19. Via an online survey with 1024 U.S. adults, we found that general belief in conspiracy theories, personal risk perceptions, news media distrust, and vaccine non-confidence are key predictors of COVID-19 conspiratorial beliefs, while COVID-19 vaccine confidence is the best predictor of actual vaccination behavior. Belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories mediates the relationship between general beliefs in conspiracy theories and avoidance behaviors.

Strategic communication and the global pandemic: Leading through unprecedented times

Juan Meng and R. Tench. “Strategic communication and the global pandemic: Leading through unprecedented times,” International Journal of Strategic Communication, 2022, 16(3), 357-363.

Abstract: This article serves as the introduction article of the special issue, titled Strategic Communication and the Global Pandemic. This special issue of the International Journal of Strategic Communication (IJSC) has one primary purpose – to stimulate serious scholarly research on strategic communication and its management and execution during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 global pandemic. To achieve this purpose, the special issue is organized into three sections covering many dimensions of strategic communication as it relates to the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first section includes research addressing how the messages are developed and constructed through governmental communication, traditional mass media, and social media. The second section focuses on exploring the contingencies that leaders and influencers at various levels need to address in this novel global crisis, as well as the practical, organizational, and societal challenges leaders face. The last section collects research reflecting on how effective public health responses and communication shall be developed. By providing a range of strategic communication scholarship grounded in different academic disciplines and cultural and political contexts, we believe this volume offers an international perspective for scholars and educators to understand the complexity of the topic itself.

Effective Communication Management in a Public Health Crisis: Lessons Learned about COVID-19 Pandemic through the Lens of Health Communication Executives

Taylor Voges (PhD candidate), Yan Jin, LaShonda Eaddy (PhD alum), Shelley Spector. (forthcoming). “Effective Communication Management in a Public Health Crisis: Lessons Learned about COVID-19 Pandemic through the Lens of Health Communication Executives.” Journal of Communication Management.

Abstract: This study aims to provide insights on the COVID-19 pandemic communication from the lessons learned by health communication executives—how they perceived the COVID-19 pandemic and recommend preparing for communication management of future public health crisis. A number of top health communication executives in the United States were interviewed, for their unique perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic. The contingency theory of strategic conflict management is used for qualitative deductive analysis, rendering several segmentations of key factors that drove organizational communication management decision making during the pandemic: organization characteristics, relationship characteristics, general external climate, external publics, and the issue under question. Health communication executives heavily relied on their past health communication experiences, which led to nuanced understandings of the COVID-19 pandemic. Theoretically, the contingency theory is furthered via an implied theoretical linkage between the construct of general external climate and the construct of external publics. Practically, the health communication executives urged future practitioners to constantly assess risks, hire and use diverse and representative decision-makers; set a communication protocol; and keep the communication in perspective.