Understanding the Effects of News-Finds-Me Perception on Health Knowledge and Information Seeking During Public Health Crises

News-finds-me (NFM) perception is a belief that, in the era of social media, individuals can remain adequately well-informed about current events even if they do not actively seek news. While it has been examined in the context of general and political news, NFM perception has not been explored in the context of other genres of news. Through an online survey involving 1,001 Singaporeans, with the Planned Risk Information Seeking Model, this study examines how NFM perception is related to information seeking and COVID-19 knowledge. An issue-specific NFM perception was also proposed and tested in order to determine whether NFM perception and its associated effects differ when operationalized as general news exposure or issue-specific news relating to COVID-19. The negative relationship between general NFM perception and knowledge and the mediating role of information seeking on social media in this relationship are detected. It is also found that when the NFM perception is issue-specific (i.e. COVID-NFM perception), information insufficiency and intentions of information seeking on social media fully mediated the relationship between NFM perception and knowledge. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Cultural tightness-looseness and normative social influence in eight Asian countries: Associations of individual and collective norms with vaccination intentions

RATIONALE

Countries worldwide faced the same public health crisis that required promoting the same health behavior-vaccinations-during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, scholars have a unique opportunity to test behavioral change theories across countries with different cultural backgrounds.

OBJECTIVE

Employing the extended theory of social normative behavior, this study examines the influence of individual and collective norms on COVID-19 vaccination intention across eight Asian countries. We examine how cultural tightness-looseness, defined as the degree of a culture's emphasis on norms and tolerance of deviant behavior, shapes normative social influence on COVID-19 vaccination intention.

METHODS

We conducted a multicountry online survey (N = 2676) of unvaccinated individuals in China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam in May and June 2021, when COVID-19 vaccination mandates had not yet been implemented in those countries. We conducted hierarchical regression analyses with interaction terms for the total sample and then re-categorizied the eight countries as either "tight" (n = 1102) or "loose" (n = 1574) to examine three-way interactions between individual norms, collective norms, and cultural tightness-looseness.

RESULTS

Perceived injunctive norms exerted the strongest impact of all normative factors on vaccination intention. Collective injunctive norms' influence depended on both perceived injunctive and descriptive norms, which was larger when norms were lower (vs. higher). The interactive pattern between perceived and collective norms was more pronounced in countries with greater cultural tightness.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal nuanced patterns of how individual and collective social norms influence health behavioral decisions, depending on the degree of cultural tightness-looseness.

Avoiding real news, believing in fake news? Investigating pathways from information overload to misbelief

This study sought to examine the potential role of news avoidance in belief in COVID-19 misinformation. Using two-wave panel survey data in Singapore, we found that information overload is associated with news fatigue as well as with difficulty in analyzing information. News fatigue and analysis paralysis also subsequently led to news avoidance, which increased belief in COVID-19 misinformation. However, this link is present only among those who are frequently exposed to misinformation about COVID-19.

Exploring vaccine hesitancy determinants during the COVID-19 pandemic: An in-depth interview study

On January 20, 2020, the CDC reported its first case of the novel coronavirus in the United States. Almost a year and a half after the first COVID-19 vaccine was given in the U.S., efforts to vaccinate individuals in the hopes of achieving herd immunity continue. Despite the amounts of scientific breakthroughs to create and disseminate the vaccines, people continue to express hesitancy. Existing research has explored vaccine hesitancy through survey data, restricting an in-depth understanding for why people remain hesitant. As a result, this research aimed to understand in-depth reasons for vaccine hesitancy as well as what finally got those who, although hesitant, went through with getting inoculated. In addition, we also wanted to know how the vaccine hesitant received information about the vaccine. Using in-depth interviews, we identified key elements that influenced vaccine hesitancy which include social pressure to not get vaccinated and lack of trust in the healthcare system. We also identified reasons why vaccine hesitant individuals ultimately decided to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. These reasons included becoming informed, getting back to normal, and societal pressure. Finally, we sought to understand what served as venues for COVID-19 information and those were media sources like traditional news outlets/legacy media (e.g., TV) and digital/social media, and interpersonal sources like family, friends, and co-workers. In revealing these factors through in-depth interviews, we show how complex vaccine hesitancy is and the elements public health practitioners need to take into consideration when constructing vaccine-related information/messages.

Development and validation of a lockdown preparedness scale: Understanding lockdown preparedness through a social vulnerability perspective

Millions of people around the world were subjected into nationwide or community wide lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists also predict that as we enter into a new normal, another pandemic is not impossible, and that lockdowns may be implemented again. Therefore, examining factors affecting lockdown preparedness (LDP) is important. Through a survey of 800 adult residents in Singapore during the pandemic, this study proposed and tested an LDP scale and found that quality of social interactions, news consumption, as well as education and income affect the extent of psychological and emotional preparedness for lockdowns.

Fake news, real risks: How online discussion and sources of fact-check influence public risk perceptions toward nuclear energy

This study seeks to understand how online discussion, fact-checking, and sources of fact-checks will influence individuals' risk perceptions toward nuclear energy when they are exposed to fake news. Using a 2 × 3 experimental design, 320 participants were randomly assigned to one of the six experimental conditions. Results showed an interaction effect between online discussion and exposure to fact-checking, in which online discussion lowered individuals' risk perception toward nuclear energy when a fact-check was unavailable. Of those who participated in the online discussion, those who viewed a fact-check posted by traditional media have higher risk perception as compared to those who viewed a fact-check posted by a fact-check organization. Our findings indicate that different fact-checking sources can have differential effects on public risk perceptions, depending on whether online discussion is involved. To curb the spread of fake news, different fact-checking strategies will need to be deployed depending on the situation.

Exploring channels and gaps in information dissemination and acquisition among energy scientists and the public: The southeast Asian context

This study investigates the flow of energy-related information, which plays a vital role in promoting the public understanding and support for various energy sources. Through 12 focus group discussions with the public and energy experts, this study found that energy information flows from scientists to the public through both direct (e.g., roadshows, scientists’ blogs) and indirect (via agents, e.g., school, news media) channels. However, communication gaps remain between scientists and the public. First, the public commonly obtains information from personal experience and the media but not directly from scientists. Second, while the public stressed the importance of mass media and social media, only a few experts reported writing news commentaries or making social media posts about energy. Third, while scientists emphasize their relationships with the government and other agencies in disseminating information, the public shows relatively weak trust in these agencies. Implications are made for future research and public communication on energy issues.

Wear or Not to Wear a Mask? Recommendation Inconsistency, Government Trust and the Adoption of Protection Behaviors in Cross-Lagged TPB Models

This study examined how exposure to government health advisories on face mask-wearing and trust in government influenced people's compliance with the advisory overtime. We conducted a three-wave panel survey (N = 1,024; T1 in February, T2 in March, T3 in April 2020) in Singapore, where the government initially enforced wearing a face mask conditional on feeling sick, and then later revised its advisory to make mask-wearing mandatory regardless of sickness. Exposure to the initial advisory at T1 had cross-lagged effects on forming positive expectancy, normative, and self-efficacy beliefs on conditional face mask-wearing at T2. Government trust at T1 also had a cross-lagged effect on increasing supportive perceived norm for conditional mask-wearing, while reducing positive expectancy of nonconditional mask-wearing at T2. Exposure to the revised advisory and government trust at T3 were positively associated with outcome expectancy, perceived norm, and self-efficacy regardless of behavior type. Regarding nonconditional mask-wearing, the autoregressive links from T2 to T3 were insignificant for perceived norm and self-efficacy and even negatively significant for intention and behavior. This study offers theoretical and practical insights by documenting the complex and dynamic processes involved in health decision-making during a novel disease pandemic.

Can Press Freedom Enhance the Effect of News Exposure on COVID-19 Health Beliefs? A Health Belief Model Perspective

News media can influence citizens' health beliefs about COVID-19 and eventually their vaccination intention. However, existing literature has rarely investigated how such effect is contingent upon a country-level factor: press freedom. Situated in the Health Belief Model, this study draws upon a multi-national survey (N = 3,599), involving 10 major cities in Asia to address the research gap. Results showed that news exposure has a positive effect on personal health beliefs on COVID-19, affecting their vaccination intention. More interestingly, the relationship between news exposure and personal health beliefs about COVID-19 was negatively moderated by level of press freedom - that is, the relationship between news exposure and personal health beliefs is stronger in cities that belong to countries with low levels of press freedom.

Consequences of Online Misinformation on COVID-19: Two Potential Pathways and Disparity by eHealth Literacy

The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented threat to global human wellbeing, and the proliferation of online misinformation during this critical period amplifies the challenge. This study examines consequences of exposure to online misinformation about COVID-19 preventions. Using a three-wave panel survey involving 1,023 residents in Singapore, the study found that exposure to online misinformation prompts engagement in self-reported misinformed behaviors such as eating more garlic and regularly rinsing nose with saline, while discouraging evidence-based prevention behaviors such as social distancing. This study further identifies information overload and misperception on prevention as important mechanisms that link exposure to online misinformation and these outcomes. The effects of misinformation exposure differ by individuals' eheath literacy level, suggesting the need for a health literacy education to minimize the counterproductive effects of misinformation online. This study contributes to theory-building in misinformation by addressing potential pathways of and disparity in its possible effects on behavior.

False Balance in Public Health Reporting? Michele Bachmann, the HPV Vaccine, and "Mental Retardation"

This content analysis of media coverage of Michele Bachmann's erroneous comments that the HPV vaccine causes mental retardation explores the relationship between truth-telling (the presentation of accurate information) and balance (presenting opposing perspectives of an issue equally and legitimately) in public health reporting. Of 200 articles analyzed, about 50% provided correction and about 40% provided a counterpoint. We also found that health reporters tended to engage in truth-telling and balance more than political reporters. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Media sources, credibility, and perceptions of science: Learning about how people learn about science

Knowledge about science and technology has become increasingly important in this age of digital information overload. It is also becoming increasingly important to understand what contributes to scientific learning, including information sources and trust in those sources. In this study, we develop and test a multivariate model to explain scientific knowledge based on past theories on learning from the news from the fields of political communication, sociology, and media psychology. We focus on the impact of sources-by platform, such as television and online, and by expertise, such as scientists and the media-in understanding what predicts scientific knowledge. The results show that interest in science not only directly predicts knowledge but also has indirect effects on knowledge through its effects on Internet use, confidence in the press, and perception of scientists. In addition, distrust on the news sources is an important pathway to learning about science.

Most students get breaking news first from Twitter

This study examines news consumption patterns of college students by asking where respondents get breaking news and where this source leads them next. The findings, based on an online survey, show the majority gets breaking news from Twitter first, but Twitter also leads users to get more information from websites of traditional news organizations, whose news reports students view as more credible than Twitter.