Communicating Science, Health, Environment, and Risk Division

2021 Abstracts

Research Paper • An Ecological Approach to Understand Scientists’ Commitment to Engage: Push, Pull, and Drag Forces • AbiGhannam, Niveen, University of Texas at Austin • Whereas norms have been traditionally linked to behavioral outcomes, their function within public engagement with science (PES) contexts are mixed. This paper takes an ecological approach to examine the PES pressures and expectations perceived by publicly engaged scientists. We found that scientists perceive unidirectional factors within science (push forces) and engagement contexts (pull forces) that drive them towards PES. Running counter to those are drag forces, or pressures not to engage. However, our analyses reveal that such pressures are mitigated through employing goal-oriented engagement strategies. Those findings enrich our understanding of the complex operation of norms in the ever-changing PES landscape.

Research Paper • The growth and disciplinary convergence of environmental communication: A bibliometric analysis of the field (1970-2019) • Akerlof, Karen, George Mason University • Recent reviews describe environmental communication as focused on mass media. However, these reviews may not provide a full picture of the discipline. We searched Scopus for articles published 1970 to 2019 containing the root environment* communicat*. Instead of siloed disciplines, we found dense, interconnected networks of journals across disparate areas of scholarship, including social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and business. This convergence is a positive sign for the field’s ability to answer fundamental questions.

Extended Abstract • Understanding COVID-19-related Stigma: A Topic Modelling and Exploratory Analysis of 353k Tweets • Ali, Mohammad, Syracuse University • This topic modelling and exploratory analysis of 350k Tweets examined people’s discussion on COVID-19 related stigma on Twitter.

Research Paper • Young adults’ preferences of vaping content on Instagram: Qualitative interviews utilizing the associative imagery technique • Alpert, Jordan • Vaping among young adults (YA) continues to rise, resulting in adverse health effects and vulnerability to nicotine dependence. Social influence theory and prior research indicate that vaping content appearing on Instagram is widespread and highly influential. Vaping content on Instagram is often portrayed positively, which may motivate YA to vaping trials. Using a photo-elicitation method, the associative imagery technique, we interviewed 24 YA about their perceptions of vaping content appearing on Instagram. Images representing popular posts were shown, such as colorful devices, people vaping, and depictions of flavors. Data synthesis from the interview transcripts revealed three main themes: 1) the power of color and visual aesthetics, meaning that YA were drawn to Instagram posts that were visually striking, which stood out from other posts, 2) distancing, as participants who vape socially were hesitant to like, share, and comment because they did not want to be labeled as a “vaper” to their followers, and 3) the environment influences perceptions, signifying how there are certain norms associated with using Instagram, and this dictates how content is viewed and the meaning it represents. For instance, warning labels appearing on vaping posts may remind YA about the dangers of vaping, but we also found that they enhanced perceived credibility and transparency of vaping brands. Overall, findings indicate that effective interventional campaigns to reduce YA vaping must get users’ attention through dynamic visuals, while also considering in-group and out-group identities related to vaping culture.

Research Paper • Fast Food Menu Calorie Labeling Contexts as Complex Contributing Factors to Overeating • Bailey, Rachel, Florida State University • The effectiveness of menu calorie labeling in limiting the amount of calories selected has been called into question since it was mandated within the Affordable Care Act. This study examined how contexts that are known to influence motivational and information processing might limit the effectiveness of calorie labeling in order to shed some light on the mixed findings in this area. An online experiment was conducted in which calorie labels were paired or not paired with visual cues in different motivational contexts: greater and lesser variety and energy density choices available. Results contribute to the general conclusions that calorie labels are not particularly effective. Specifically, the only context in which a calorie label succeeded in reducing calories selected was a high variety mix of low and high energy density foods with visual food cues present; however, this type of context elicited the greatest number of calories selected on average, even more than when only highly energy dense items were present. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Research Paper • Cultural Competence in Health Communication: A Concept Explication • Belobrovkina, Evgeniia • Cultural competence constitutes one of the cornerstones of effective health communication. Yet, there is a gap in the explication of cultural competence in health communication outside the healthcare setting. Therefore, the purpose of the study was: (1) to develop the conceptual definition of cultural competence for strategic health communication beyond the healthcare setting, and (2) to distinguish cultural competence from similar concepts. The proposed conceptual definition of cultural competence is presented.

Research Paper • COVID-19 vaccine intention and social cognitive theory: The role of individual responsibility and partisan media use • Borah, Porismita • We use national survey data and a moderated moderated mediation PROCESS model to examine the 1) associations between self-efficacy about COVID-19 and vaccine intention mediated by expectancies 2) moderating roles of individual responsibility and partisan media use. The findings show that the path from efficacy to expectancies is moderated by individual responsibility, while the path from efficacy to vaccine intention is moderated by liberal media use in meaningful ways. Implications are discussed.

Extended Abstract • EXTENDED ABSTRACT: Perceptions of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis on Twitter: Examining beliefs and barriers after approval of Descovy • Calabrese, Christopher • Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective strategy to reduce one’s risk of contracting HIV. To examine perceptions of PrEP on Twitter, we conducted a theoretically driven content analysis of relevant tweets from April 2019 to April 2020, six months before and after the approval of Descovy for PrEP. Results reveal a significant decrease in tweets involving barriers, specifically relating to access. Findings will inform health communication interventions for promoting PrEP among vulnerable populations.

Extended Abstract • A triangulated approach for understanding scientists’ perceptions of public engagement with science • Calice, Mikhaila, University of Wisconsin-Madison • Scientists are expected to engage with the public, especially when society faces challenges like COVID-19, but what public engagement means to scientists is not clear. Based on a mixed methods approach combining survey and focus group data, we find that scientists’ understanding of public engagement is as complex and inconsistent as the literature. Our findings also suggest that, regardless of tenure status, scientists believe public engagement with science includes citizen and community involvement in research.

Research Paper • “La Piedra Rosetta” Content Analysis of Health-specific stories on Genetic Testing from Spanish-language News Outlets • Chavez-Yenter, Daniel, University of Utah / Huntsman Cancer Institute • Genetic testing rates, which can inform disease risk and clinical management recommendations, are lower for Latinx populations than White populations. Explanations for this disparity have focused on individuals’ lack of awareness and greater concerns about testing, but how the news media might affect awareness and attitudes remains unexplored. In this project, we characterize health-specific stories (from 2008-2020) relating to genetic testing from the two largest U.S. Spanish-language news outlets, Telemundo and Univision.

Research Paper • Are Emotion-Expressing Messages More Shared on Social Media? A Meta-Analytic Review • Chen, Junhan, University of Maryland • Given that social media have brought significant change in the communication landscape, researchers have explored factors, such as emotion-expressing as a message feature, that can influence users’ information sharing on social media. The present study meta-analytically summarized 19 studies to advance the understanding of the associations between emotion-expressing messages and information sharing on social media in health and crisis communication contexts. Additional moderator analyses took into account study contexts, social media platforms, study design, theory-guided or not, sampling and coding methods, and emotion valences. Our study supported previous studies’ claim that emotion-expressing messages are more likely to be shared on social media in health and crisis contexts (r = 0.11, k = 19, N = 140,987). Moreover, results from our study showed that sampling and coding methods applied in previous studies moderated the main result. Implications for future study of emotion-expressing messages and information sharing in health and crisis communication contexts are discussed.

Research Paper • An Online Experiment Evaluating the Effects of Social Endorsement Cues, Message Source, and Responsibility Attribution on Young Adults’ COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions • Chen, Li, West Texas A&M University • Adopting the theory of planned behavior framework, this online experiment investigated the effects of social endorsement cues, message source, and responsibility attribution on young adults’ perceptions of COVID-19 vaccination and intentions to get vaccinated. Four major findings are identified. First, social endorsement cues positively affect attitude, subjective norms, and vaccination intentions. Second, individuals perceive an expert source as most credible, but a media outlet source results in most positive subjective norms. Third, responsibility attributions do not generate significant effects on dependent variables. Finally, social endorsement cues and message source each has some interaction effects with perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 on message outcomes.

Research Paper • Danger Control and Fear Control during Public Health Emergencies: Considering the Role of Fear and Hope in the EPPM across Different Levels of Trust • Chen, Liang • Public health emergencies post a great threat to global health and safety. The control of these emergencies needs the efforts of healthcare professionals as well as calls for the public to take protective actions. This study not only puts fear back in the EPPM, but also considers another similarly productive emotion: hope to examine the mechanisms behind the effects of four cognitive perceptions on protective actions and information avoidance. A national online survey was conducted with a total of 1,676 participants during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China from February 1 to February 29, 2020. The results revealed that perceived severity and perceived susceptibility could lead to fear, which in turn positively affect protective actions, while perceived self-efficacy and perceived response efficacy induced hope, which was positively associated with protective actions, but negatively associated with information avoidance. Furthermore, the mechanisms behind the relationships among cognitions, emotions and behaviors varied across different levels of trust in healthcare systems.

Research Paper • Examining Attenuated Response to COVID-19 Risk Through Interaction Effects between Increased Communicative Action, Negative Emotion, and Perceived Personal Knowledge • Choi, Minhee • This study examines attenuated risk responses among individuals who do not adhere to preventive COVID-19 measures (e.g., anti-maskers). Guided by the Social Amplification of Risk Model, a survey (N = 373) of non-abiding populations showed that media use positively influenced risk perceptions, information seeking and sharing, and preventive measures adoption. In contrast, negative emotional responses to COVID-19 and perceived knowledge hindered preventive measure adoption from increased information seeking and sharing. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Research Paper • Light at the end of the tunnel: Implications of COVID-19 vaccine availability and vaccination intention • Chu, Haoran • Due to the inequality in distribution, people in many demographic groups and locations still do not have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Utilizing a longitudinal survey and a choice-based conjoint analysis, this study examines vaccine availability and vaccination intention’s influence on people’s consideration of the COVID-19 vaccine. Low availability and intention increased attention to global barriers and high-level vaccine attributes such as vaccine safety. High availability articulates practical considerations such as cost and logistics.

Extended Abstract • When Do People Wear a Mask in Pandemic? An Integration of TPB and EPT • Chung, Surin, Ohio University • This study examined how perceptual variables (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) are associated with behavioral intention to wear a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic and also how ethical ideologies (relativism, and idealism) moderate the relationship between two perceptual variables (attitude, and subjective norm) and behavioral intention. Using a cross-sectional survey, this study found that the three perceptual variables are positively associated with behavioral intention. Also, this study confirmed that relativism weakens the relationship between the two perceptual variables and behavioral intention.

Research Paper • Air quality just isn’t very sexy”: Audiences, problems, solutions in communicating about wildfire smoke in the Wes • Clotfelter, Susan, Colorado State University • “Environmental and public health professionals increasingly confront wildfire smoke events and the need to communicate air quality information internally and externally. Climate forecasts suggest the next decades will likely bring more frequent and more prolonged heat, drought, and wildfire smoke exposures. We know little, however, about how these professionals conceptualize their communication tasks, challenges, and opportunities. n a time of fragmented, convergent, and sometimes distrusted media. surveys of residents in multiple regions of the U.S. and other nations often show that citizens pay more attention to personal experience of air quality than official measures and alerts.

We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 17 air quality communicators in Colorado. This state has many of the features common to Western states: a wide variety of terrain and local economies; high- and low-population counties; increasingly congested interstates; and wide income disparity. The interviews yielded insights about how environmental and public health workers think about the residents of the state that they serve and the barriers to communicating air quality issues to those residents. These insights suggest that limited resources and lack of data make it difficult to communicate about air quality and that some state residents are more vulnerable to ill health effects, but less likely to be reached by messaging efforts. Creating more robust monitoring networks and multi-agency partnerships might create the capacity necessary to persuade more Colorado residents to engage in health-protecting actions.”

Research Paper • Facing the Strain: The Persuasive Effects of Conversion Messages on COVID-19 Vaccination Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions • Conlin, Jeff, Penn State University • This study examined two-sided conversion messages in relation to one-sided advocacy messages in reducing vaccine hesitancy related to COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Results demonstrated that, for vaccine-hesitant participants, conversion messages increased pro-COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and behavioral intentions. For high vaccine-hesitant participants, the relationship between conversion messages and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccinations was mediated through source credibility. For low vaccine-hesitant participants, mediation occurred through counterarguing. Findings have implications for health message tailoring related to COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Extended Abstract • The Prevalence of Design Features Known to Hinder the Processing of Drug Risks and Side-Effects: A Content Analysis of TV Ads for Prescription Drugs • Dan, Viorela • Given widespread concerns over the strategic use of visuals in ads for prescription drugs (DTCA) to distract from drug risks and side-effects, a content analysis was conducted. We analyzed N = 88 ads shown during prime-time on ABC, CBS, and NBC for one week in autumn 2019. Low modality correspondence was found, as were high pacing and low visual complexity. DTCA seem to be made in a way that hinders processing of risks and side-effects.

Extended Abstract • Extended abstract: White young adults’ motives for COVID-19 information avoidance • Deline, Mary Beth • Research suggests that White young adults’ health actions contribute to inequitable higher risk burdens for Black, Latinx and Indigenous populations during the pandemic. Utilizing semi-structured qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, this study examines the motives driving White young adults’ avoidance intentions and behaviors towards COVID-19 health information, and concomitant individual and collective efficacy. Preliminary findings indicate that perceived inability to act at both individual and collective levels is associated with specific information avoidance motivations.

Research Paper • Systematic Processing of COVID-19 Information: Relevant Channel Beliefs and Perceived Information Gathering Capacity as Moderators • Dong, Xinxia, University at Buffalo • This study applies the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model to investigate the psychological factors that motivate people to process COVID-19 information in a systematic manner. Data collected from a survey of 519 Chinese respondents indicate that both relevant channel beliefs and perceived information gathering capacity moderate the impact of information insufficiency on systematic processing. These two variables also exert an interactive effect on systematic processing. Among other components of the RISP model, societal-level risk perception, informational subjective norms, and current knowledge are positively related to systematic processing. These findings suggest that science communication surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic needs to pay attention to the target audience’s beliefs about specific information channels, as well as their ability to process relevant information.

Research Paper • “I Had No Idea That Greenwashing Was Even a Thing”: Identifying the Cognitive Mechanisms of Exemplars in Greenwashing Literacy Interventions • Eng, Nicholas, Penn State University • This one factor (base-rate/image/quote/quote and image) between-subjects experiment (N = 476) examined how different presentation styles of a greenwashing literacy intervention influenced psychological processes (i.e., vividness, cognitive load, availability heuristic) and outcomes such as knowledge gain, skepticism, and information seeking. By synthesizing exemplification theory and cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study finds evidence that vividness was the key mediator that explained the intervention’s effects on the study outcomes. Compared to the base-rate condition, exemplars were significant predictors of vividness, which in turn increased risk perceptions, information seeking, and word-of-mouth intentions. A literacy intervention that embedded both textual quotes and image exemplars had the strongest effect on vividness. No significant relationship was found between the interventions and the availability heuristic or cognitive load. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Research Paper • Promoting COVID-19 Social Distancing on Social Media: The Persuasive Role of Threat and Controlling Language Representation • Eng, Nicholas, Penn State University • This 2 (threat: high/low) x 2 (language: controlling/noncontrolling) between-subjects factorial experimental design (N = 446) examined how the degree of threat and controlling language used in persuasive health messages on social media, influences psychological reactance, threat and coping appraisals, and intentions to social distance. Combining psychological reactance theory and protection motivation theory, we found that a highly threatening message evokes greater psychological reactance, which in turn was negatively associated with threat and coping appraisals. Threat and coping appraisals were then found to be significant and positive predictors of social distancing intentions. However, we did not find evidence that the use of controlling language, nor its interaction with the degree of threat expressed, to have a significant influence on reactance or threat and coping appraisals. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Research Paper • Upping the Ante? The Effects of ‘Emergency’ and ‘Crisis’ Framing in Climate Change News • Feldman, Lauren, Rutgers University • This experiment examined how using the term “climate emergency,” “climate crisis,” or “climate change” in Twitter-based news stories influences public engagement with climate change and news perceptions, as well as whether these effects depend on whether the news focuses on climate impacts or climate actions. Terminology had no effect on climate engagement and only small effects on news perceptions. The focus of the news stories had more consistent effects on both engagement and news perceptions.

Research Paper • The Impact of Social Media Use on Protective Behaviors in Global Epidemics: The Mediating Model of Situation Awareness and Crisis Emotions • Feng, Yulei, School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University • Although there has been increasing attention to the effect of social media use during epidemics and outbreaks, relatively little is known the underlying mechanism by which social media plays a role in people’s cognitive, affective and preventive responses. Based on data collected during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, the current study investigates the correlations between social media use, situation awareness and public prevention by examining the mediation effect of crisis emotions—anxiety and fear. The results indicate that social media is positively related to situation awareness, anxiety and fear. Furthermore, social media use can predict preventive behaviors via the serial multiple mediation effect of situation awareness and fear. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Research Paper • Examining Antecedents to Accuracy- and Defense-Motivated Information Insufficiency in the COVID-19 Pandemic • Fung, Timothy, Hong Kong Baptist University • This study is to advance the Risk Information Seeking and Processing model by examining (1) the antecedents that induce individuals’ accuracy- and defense-motivated information insufficiency of COVID-19 information and (2) the effect of a broader array of the RISP’s perceived hazard characteristics and affective responses. We collected 960 responses from a probabilistic panel and found that fear and informational subjective norms influenced accuracy- and defense-motivated information sufficiency; risk inequity influenced worry and contentment.

Research Paper • Integrating Psychometric Paradigm of Risk and Issue Attention Cycle: A Study of Risk Information in News Coverage of Avian and Swine Influenza • Fung, Timothy, Hong Kong Baptist University • This study examines how news coverage present risk information of global outbreaks of avian and swine influenza. To that end, we integrated the psychometric paradigm of risk and issue attention cycle into a theoretical framework and conducted a content analysis for 1,626 news articles published in Hong Kong. The finding reveals what risk information and its related risk characteristics emphasized or ignored and how the emphasis differs across the stages within the issue attention cycle.

Research Paper • How Do Food Date Labels Lead to Consumer-level Food Waste? A Mixed-design Experiment • Gong, Ziyang • Waste resulting from consumers’ confusion about foods’ date labels is a multi-billion-dollar problem in the United States. The present study examines the mechanisms underlying such labels’ influence on people’s willingness to consume, and whether exposure to additional information regarding sensory assessment of food products or storage practices could help to reduce food waste. We conducted a mixed-design experiment in which the between-subjects variable comprised five commonly used food date labels (i.e., “Best if Used By”, “Use By”, “Sell By”, “Enjoy By”, and a date without any explanatory phrase), and the within-subjects variable consisted of three information conditions (i.e., basic information, sensory information, and food-storage information). Our data indicate that date labels affected consumers’ willingness to eat yogurt through two mediators, quality concern and safety concern. The direct effects of date-label variation on willingness to consume were non-significant after controlling for the two mediators. Additionally, when the participants were told that the yogurt had a normal color and odor, or were provided with details of how it should have been stored, their intention to eat it rose significantly. These findings enhance our understanding of how food date labels affect consumer-level food waste and provide insights that can aid the development of educational campaigns to reduce it.

Research Paper • Moral hazard or not? The effects of learning about carbon dioxide removal (CDR) on mitigation support. • Hart, P. Sol, University of Michigan • Recent research has yielded mixed results as to whether exposure to information about geoengineering leads to a risk compensation, risk salience, or null effect. Focusing on carbon dioxide removal (CDR), we investigate whether these inconsistent results may be a function of the presence or absence of information about climate change impacts. Through two experimental studies, moderated-mediation analyses reveal that, overall, exposure to CDR information is likely to have a null effect, thus failing to support either risk compensation or risk salience, whereas exposure to climate change risk information can increase perceived threat and, indirectly, policy support.

Extended Abstract • Effectiveness of VR Intervention in Promoting Sustainable Hand Hygiene • Hu, Haohan • Maintaining hand hygiene is one of the most important preventive measures for infectious diseases. However, research finds young adults reported less frequent hand-washing. This study developed an immersive hyperreality intervention in promoting hand hygiene and its effectiveness was tested by 2 (environment: VR vs. 2D video) x 3 (perspective) factorial experiments. Preliminary findings have demonstrated levels of immersion can affect participant’s embodiment and self-efficacy.

Research Paper • How Far into the Future: A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Temporal Framing on Risk Perception, Attitude, Behavioral Intention, and Behavior • Huang, Guanxiong • Temporal framing is a messaging strategy that highlights either the proximal or distant consequences of a recommended behavior in communication efforts. This meta-analysis investigated the relative persuasiveness of proximal- versus distal-framed messages. The findings supported the overall small advantage of proximal versus distal frames in facilitating persuasion (r = 0.0706). In terms of specific outcomes, proximal frames were more effective than distal frames in increasing risk perception (r = 0.1216) and behavioral intention (r = 0.0776). However, no such effects were found on attitude or actual behavior. Sample type (student vs. nonstudent) and participant age moderated the temporal framing effect.

Research Paper • To Vax or Not to Vax: The Impact of Issue Interpretation and Trust on Vaccination • Huang, Yi-Hui Christine, City University of Hong Kong • We investigate the interaction between public trust and individuals’ COVID-19 vaccination intentions. A total of 6,231 respondents from Hong Kong and Taiwan completed questionnaires. Results demonstrated that trust plays a crucial role in promoting public vaccine uptake through a motivated reasoning process. Additionally, issue interpretation moderated the relationship between trust and vaccination intention, indirectly affecting vaccination intention via trust. Our findings should help relevant agencies better understand public mindsets and formulate communication strategies accordingly.

Research Paper • Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination: The Interplay of Message Framing, Psychological Uncertainty, and Public Agency • Huang, Yan • The study examines how framing, psychological uncertainty, and message source (national versus local health agencies) influence campaign effectiveness in promoting COVID-19 vaccines. A 2 (gain- vs. loss-frame) × 2 (high vs. low uncertainty) × 2 (CDC vs. Houston Health Department) between-subjects experiment was conducted among Houston residents (N = 408) in mid-December, 2020. Findings revealed that a loss frame led to better persuasion outcomes among participants primed with high uncertainty; a gain frame was more persuasive under conditions of low uncertainty because it reduced perceived threat to freedom and psychological reactance. Additionally, the local agency elicited more favorable vaccine beliefs than the national agency when uncertainty is low; the difference disappeared under conditions of high uncertainty. The study offers theoretical implications for framing research and practical implications for campaign message design.

Extended Abstract • Extended Abstract: Beyond Individualized Responsibility Attributions? How Eco Influencers Communicate Sustainability on TikTok • Huber, Brigitte, University of Vienna • Sustainability communication is of increasing importance. While sustainability communication in traditional media has already been researched, less is known about social media in this regard. We investigate how eco influencers communicate sustainability on TikTok. Findings from a content analysis (n = 242) reveal that individual responsibility attributions are dominant in videos posted on the platform. Videos presenting broader perspectives are more likely to refer to empirical evidence. Implications for science and environmental communicators are discussed.

Research Paper • The framing power of Twitter: Examining whether individual tweets are reframing news media frames • Hubner, Austin, The Ohio State University • This study replicates a traditional framing and source analysis by examining how two mainstream news outlets framed climate change in 2018. We extend the traditional analysis by examining whether individuals reframe the original news media frame when sharing news articles to Twitter. Specifically, we computationally examine the extent to which the user-generated tweets (n = 9,558) are similar to the original news media frame and whether the similarity is dependent on the actor type.

Research Paper • Understanding Public Reaction to Celebrity Suicide Cases in Online News Comments • Ittefaq, Muhammad, University of Kansas • Celebrity suicide reporting is worth exploring as it carries an enormous potential to trigger copycat suicidal behavior among vulnerable populations; yet this topic is under-explored in Muslim countries. This study is aimed at analyzing online readers’ comments related to 12 celebrity suicide news stories in Pakistan (N=2,190) to understand their conversation patterns. By applying a text analytics approach, we assess core themes of online discussions about celebrity suicide news stories published between June 1, 2011 and August 30, 2020 in five mainstream Pakistani English newspapers. The findings revealed seven themes, including: 1) stress, depression, and mental health issues; 2) suspicious and controversial investigation reports; 3) need for stronger accountability to address corruption in the country; 4) conspiracy theories and misinformation; 5) criticizing media and security institutions; 6) sympathy for deceased and their families; 7) suicide and religion (Islam). the most frequent words in the data set were: suicide (51), police (34), sad (18), family (17), officer (17), corruption (15), death (15), murder (14), person (14), news (13), investigation (12). Additionally, Web 2.0 opens an avenue in Muslim-majority countries to discuss suicide-related issues, which are becoming a major public health concern but are often neglected due to religious and other stigmas.

Research Paper • When Scientific Literacy Meets Nationalism: Exploring Factors that underlie the Chinese Public’s Belief in COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories • Jia, Hepeng, School of Communication, Soochow University • This paper investigated the Chinese public’s beliefs in COVID-19 conspiracy theories during the current global pandemic, and we explored the factors associated with the belief in conspiracy theories in China. Based on a national sample (N=1000), we categorized widespread COVID-19 conspiracy theories in China into three types: Type Ⅰ that suggested the pandemic’s foreign origin, Type Ⅱ being defined as “China as culprit” conspiracy theories, and Type Ⅲ indicating that the virus was manufactured in the West. Results showed that scientific literacy and nationalism were constant factors associated with the conspiracy beliefs. Scientific literacy was associated with decreased beliefs in all three types of COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Nationalism was related to the increased belief in the type of theories favoring China’s stance while minorly related to decreased belief in “China as culprit” theories. Among other factors, the roles of self-efficacy in science and trust in science varied with the nature of the conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, the role of the media trust depended on the type of conspiracy theories and the kind of media outlets. These findings reminded us of the multi-faceted conspiracy beliefs in China, the complicity of their contributing factors, and the urgency to study them further.

Research Paper • Self-Disclosure as a Coping: How Self-Disclosure Influences Mental Health in Chinese Online Depression Groups • Jiang, Mulin • This study examines how self-disclosure predicts mental health outcomes in the context of online depression groups in China. We investigated whether engagement with different types of self-disclosure can help mitigate depressive symptoms. Results from online survey (N = 205) indicated that the depth, honesty, intent and valence of self-disclosure have positive relationships with perceived social support, and perceived esteem support served as a key mechanism in the effects of self-disclosure.

Extended Abstract • Has COVID-19 Impacted the Risk Perceptions and Cessation Intent of Youth Vapers? • Jun, Jungmi, University of South Carolina • Emerging evidence indicates vapers’ greater exposure to COVID19 risk. Applying the health belief model, we examine how perceived risk of vaping associated with COVID19 and cessation intent have changed for youth during the pandemic. Data come from two waves of online surveys sampling US youth (aged 18-25) collected in 2020 (N = 165) and 2021 (N = 347). We found significant increases of perceived threats of vaping and benefit of cessation between the two waves.

Research Paper • COVID-19 Vaccine Reviews on YouTube: What Do They Say? • Kang, Da-young, University of Alabama • This study uses the social communication framework to explore the frequently viewed COVID-19 vaccine review contents on YouTube. Quantitative content analysis of 78 review videos reveals the unique features of vaccine review videos. Two-thirds of the vaccine videos reviewed were created by medical experts. None of them displays a negative valence toward vaccination; all have a positive or neutral valence toward vaccination. All videos convey their story with narrative, and their topics were pro-vaccine themes.

Extended Abstract • Vaping Flavors and Flavor Representation: A Test of Youth Risk Perceptions and Novelty Perceptions • Katz, Sherri Jean, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota • This experiment tests whether vaping flavors (tobacco vs. fruit) and flavor representations on packages (flavor color, flavor image) influence how middle school youth perceive vaping products. While results show no difference in risk perceptions based on condition, novelty perceptions are highest among those who view the fruit-flavored vaping product with flavor color and flavor image. Findings suggest that restricting flavor representation on packaging might reduce how fun and interesting youth perceive these products to be.

Extended Abstract • Extended Abstract: How Self-Disclosure and Gender Influence Perceptions of Scientists’ Credibility and Likeability on Social Media • Kim, Nahyun • A 2 (types of disclosure: personal vs. political) x 3 (amount of disclosure: 20% vs. 50% vs. 80%) x 2 (gender of the scientist: male vs. female) between-subjects experiment (N = 734) showed that people favored scientists more for personal disclosure, rated them as being more competent with political disclosure, and liked female scientists more in general. However, the gender of the scientist did not moderate the effect of disclosure type and gender of participants.

Extended Abstract • How attribution of crisis responsibility affects Covid-19 vaccination intent: The mediating mechanism by institutional trust and emotions • Kim, Ji Won • This study examined how attribution of crisis responsibility affects intention to take Covid-19 vaccines, specifically how institutional trust and emotions may play in this process. Results showed that attribution of crisis responsibility had a negative influence on vaccination intent by lowering institutional trust and eliciting ethics-based emotions. Findings provide implications for risk communicators and policy makers to develop strategies to mitigate vaccine hesitancy.

Research Paper • Conspiracy vs debunking: The role of emotion on public engagement with YouTube • Kim, Sang Jung • Conspiracy theories infamous for their emotional manipulation have challenged science epistemology and democratic discourse. Despite the extensive literature on misinformation and the role of emotion in persuasion, less is understood about how emotion is used differently between conspiracy and debunking messages and the impact of emotional framing on public engagement with science. Our paper fills these gaps by collecting and analyzing emotional frames in YouTube videos that propagate or debunk COVID-19 conspiracy theories.

Research Paper • Emotionally connected: Longitudinal relationships between fear of COVID-19, smartphone online self-disclosure, and psychological health • Koban, Kevin, University of Vienna • In a two-wave panel survey conducted during the first lockdown in spring 2020, this study shows that fear of COVID-19 increased online self-disclosure on social media over time. Online self-disclosure then, in turn, fostered individuals’ happiness over time but did not affect psychological well-being. There was also no over-time relationship between online self-disclosure and fear of COVID-19, suggesting that fear can prompt self-disclosure during the pandemic, but self-disclosure does not help alleviate fear over time.

Research Paper • How Sympathy and Fear Mediate the Interplay between Benefit and Scarcity Appeal Organ Donation Messages • Kong, Sining, Texas A & M University at Corpus Christi • This study examines how sympathy and fear mediate the interplay between benefit appeal and scarcity appeal regarding attitude and intention of organ donation. To examine the moderated mediation effect, this study conducted a 2 (other-benefit appeal vs. self-benefit appeal) X 2 (non-scarcity vs. scarcity appeal) online experiment. The results revealed that as altruistic behavior, an other-benefit appeal would generate more sympathy than a self-benefit appeal message. Additionally, the non-scarcity condition generated more positive attitudes toward organ donation compared with the scarcity condition. Besides, both sympathy and fear positively influenced attitudes and intentions of organ donation. This study also provides theoretical and practical implications.

Extended Abstract • Using Machine Learning and Social Network Analysis to Understand the Motives behind the Spread of “Plandemic” Conspiracy Theory during COVID-19 • Kumble, Sushma, Towson University • Conspiracy theories are often disseminated through disinformation, and individuals are attracted to conspiracy theories to fulfill specific epistemic, existential, and social motives. (Douglas et al., 2019). Utilizing these taxonomies, the present study uses unsupervised machine learning to uncover which of these motives were more prevalent in the spread of the documentary “Plandemic.” Further, utilizing social network analysis, the present study also looks at which prominent actors within the network aided in dissemination of such information.

Research Paper • Amplification of Risk Concerns through Social Media and Beyond for Covid-19: A Cross-Country Comparison • Lai, Chih-Hui, Academia Sinica • Social media has been an important venue of obtaining communication during health or environmental risks. This study investigates the questions of the extent to which public expressive use of social media (liking, commenting, sharing, and posting) amplifies the interpretation of risk and influences the subsequent behavioral responses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-country and two-wave survey data in the U.S. and Taiwan, results of this study demonstrate that amplification of risk happened because public expressive use of social media increased personal and global risk concerns, which in turn facilitated protective action taking. Moreover, this study revealed country differences in terms of the circumstances under which social media use shapes risk concerns and the situation in which risk concerns influence behavioral responses. In the U.S., the more individuals use social media in a public and expressive way, the more likely they report societal risk concern, and this happened among people who received risk information from different sources beyond social media. In Taiwan, the relationships between personal/societal risk concerns and engagement in protective action varied by discussion network heterogeneity. Discussion networks strengthened the effects of risk concerns on behavioral responses.

Extended Abstract • Beliefs and Practices around Antibiotics Use and Resistance in Singapore using the Protection Motivation Theory • Lee, Si Yu, Nanyang Technological University Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) • Misuses of antimicrobials in the community have been identified as a salient contributor to antimicrobial resistance in Singapore. However, little is known about the belief, practices, and socio-psychological factors driving antibiotic misuse in the community. As the first nationally representative study to address these gaps, 967 respondents in Singapore were surveyed on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices about antibiotics antimicrobial use. The protection motivation theory was used as the underlying theoretical framework.

Research Paper • Examining COVID-19 tweet diffusion using an integrated social amplification and risk and issue-attention cycle framework • Lee, Edmund, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore • Drawing on the social amplification of risk (SARF) and issue-attention cycle frameworks, we examined amplification of 1,641,273 COVID-19 tweets through: (a) topics: key interests of discussion; (b) temperament: emotions of tweets; (c) topography (i.e., location); and (d) temporality (i.e., over time), using computational and manual content analysis. Amplification patterns across the issue-attention cycle highlighted an inherent and insidious politicization of COVID-19, as well as misplaced premature optimism that COVID-19 would be controlled from the get-go.

Research Paper • Is higher Risk Perception Necessarily Worse? Source Credibility in Government Attributed Media Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic • Li, Longfei, School of media and communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University • Source credibility in authority is important for “infodemic” prevention and social stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, current understanding is limited with respect to how media usage of residents from worst-hit area is associated with their risk perception and source credibility in government. This study adopted the questionnaire survey method (N=908) and constructed the model of “media use – risk perception – source credibility in government” based on the social amplification of risk framework (SARF). We found that both traditional media use and social media use have positive effects on source credibility in government, and this effect is partly formed through the mediating effect of risk perception. In addition, higher risk perception was accompanied by higher source credibility, but living area factors significantly positively moderated the relationship between them. Rural residents with higher risk perception did not form higher source credibility perception. We suggest that people should pay more attention to the “infomedic” in the rural areas of the pandemic. In addition, the government should objectively view people’s risk perception, timely release information, conduct effective risk communication, and establish information authority. In-depth study on the influence of politicization and socialization of this health issue and its mechanism of action is of great significance for understanding people’s information behavior and providing certain policy enlightenment for media governance during current COVID-19 pandemic.

Research Paper • Recycling as a Planned Behavior: The Moderating Role of Perceived Behavioral Control • Liu, Zhuling, University at Buffalo • This study examines the effectiveness of a public service announcement (PSA) video designed based on the theory of planned behavior in motivating people to engage in proper recycling. Based on a representative sample of New York State residents (N = 707), survey results show that all three variables of the theory of planned behavior are significant predictors of recycling intention. The PSA video increases recycling intention through attitude, but this mediated relationship is only significant among individuals with low perceived behavioral control. These results suggest that environmental campaigns using a video format may be particularly effective among audiences who perceive low self-efficacy in engaging in recycling behavior.

Research Paper • Narrative and Non-Narrative Strategies in Televised Direct-To-Consumer Advertisements for Prescription Drugs Aired in the U.S. • Liu, Jiawei, Cornell University • This study content analyzed narrativity in televised direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) for prescription drugs aired on television in the United States between 2003 and 2016 for four different health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, depression, and osteoarthritis). Results showed that while televised DTCA for prescription drugs spent more time discussing drug risks than drug benefits, both narratives and factual evidence were more frequently used to communicate drug benefits than drug risks. Implications are discussed.

Research Paper • Seeing from the eyes of suffered peers: Using distance-framed narrative to communicate risks related to e-cigarette use • Liu, Sixiao, University at Buffalo, SUNY • To address the health risks associated with e-cigarette use among young adults, this research examined the effectiveness of distance-framed narratives in shaping e-cigarette user and non-user’s attitude and behavioral intention. Through the mediation of identification, transportation, and distance perception of risks associated with e-cigarette use, narrative messages featuring a socially similar character were more effective in motivating attitudinal and behavioral change, but high and low-certainty plots differently influenced users and non-users’ response to the messages.

Research Paper • The knowledge gap hypothesis in Malaysia: Assessing factors shaping the public’s perceived familiarity of nuclear energy • Looi, Jiemin, University of Texas at Austin • Perceived familiarity plays an important role in helping laypeople make well-informed policy decisions, thereby facilitating technological developments. However, this knowledge component is often overlooked in extant literature. Hence, this study draws upon the knowledge gap hypothesis to investigate predictors for the public’s perceived familiarity with nuclear energy in Malaysia — an under-studied context in nascent phases of nuclear energy development. A nationally representative survey of 1,000 Malaysians attested to the knowledge gap hypothesis. Education served as a better predictor for perceived familiarity than household income. Attention to television news, interpersonal discussion, and news elaboration were positively related to perceived familiarity. Notably, several three-way interactions were found: Increased attention to television news and interpersonal discussion consistently amplified perceived familiarity gaps regardless of laypeople’s education levels. Meanwhile, increased attention to newspapers and interpersonal discussion mitigated perceived familiarity gaps only among highly educated laypeople. The findings extended the knowledge gap hypothesis by incorporating perceived familiarity and news elaboration in the underrepresented context of nuclear energy in Malaysia. Additionally, the findings informed policymakers regarding the impacts of education while notifying newsmakers about the effectiveness of public education across media platforms. Directions for future research are also provided.

Research Paper • Magnifying the infodemic: Identifying opinion leaders in networks of misinformation about COVID-19 on Twitter • Looi, Jiemin, University of Texas at Austin • Considering the proliferation of falsehoods and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 on social media, this study drew upon the multi-step flow model of communication to identify opinion leaders that drive misinformation and the roles they fulfill within Twitter networks — a platform that has amplified misinformation regarding COVID-19 and prior health crises. Using R, this study conducted social network analysis and topic modeling based on 100 unique Twitter users randomly selected from a corpus of 73,808 tweets collected across several time intervals. The findings revealed that laypeople with online clout (e.g., independent activists, self-proclaimed scientific experts, self-proclaimed journalists) and Twitter bots possessed the greatest prominence (in-degree centrality), outreach (out-degree centrality), and social connections (betweenness centrality) within networks of misinformation about COVID-19. Notably, the results provided mixed support for conventional indicators of opinion leadership on Twitter (e.g., follower count, Twitter verification) as predictors of users’ roles within misinformation networks. Congruent with the multi-step flow model of communication, the results also indicated a highly clustered community structure whereby misinformation about COVID-19 on Twitter cascaded from opinion leaders to their social connections. While prior research has predominantly examined the detriments of misinformation propagated by socially prominent individuals (e.g., politicians, newsmakers, celebrities), the results suggested that misinformation disseminated by laypeople and Twitter bots are extremely damaging and should not be overlooked by academic scholars and social media developers. Theoretical contributions, practical implications, and directions for future research are discussed.

Research Paper • COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: The effects of direct and indirect online opinion cues on psychological reactance toward health campaigns • Lu, Fangcao • The novel affordances on social media have altered the way people digest health information. This study takes the initiative to examine the roles of direct (user comments) and indirect (reaction emojis) opinion cues on a Facebook post promoting COVID-19 vaccines in influencing audiences’ psychological reactance toward the post and their vaccine hesitancy. We conducted a 2 (comments: support vs. oppose vaccines) × 2 (reaction emojis: support vs. oppose vaccines) between-subjects experiment among both supporters and opponents of COVID-19 vaccines (N = 554). Results showed that anti-vaccine comments accompanying a COVID-19 vaccine promotion post provoke audiences’ psychological reactance toward the post via the mediating effects of bandwagon perception and presumed post influence on others. The psychological reactance, in turn, incurs their COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

Extended Abstract • Extended Abstract: From “Blue” Planet to “Our” Planet: Nature documentaries demonstrate increasing emphasis on collective identity over time • Lull, Robert, California State University, Fresno • Using the Social Identity Model of Collective Action as theoretical framework, this study examines how nature documentaries use language indicating collective identity. Closed captions from 39 episodes of five series released between 2001-19 were analyzed for words such as “we,” “our,” and “together.” Results demonstrated a consistent trend in increasing collective identity word density over time, culminating with significant differences between the series Blue Planet II (2017) and Our Planet (2019) and their predecessors.

Research Paper • Understanding scientific optimism across 45 countries: Effects of Internet exposure, trust, and their interdependence • Luo, Chen, School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University; School of International Media Education, Communication University of China • Enlightened by the scientific literacy model and the cognitive miser model, this study analyzes determinants of scientific optimism on a global scale. By adopting data from the latest wave of the World Values Survey covering 45 countries (n = 51, 537), the effects of Internet exposure, trust, value predispositions, and their interactions are clarified. Most importantly, results demonstrate displacement relationship and reinforcement relationship between components of the two models. Explanations and implications are further discussed.

Research Paper • Exploring public perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine online: Semantic network analysis of two social media platforms from the United States and China • Luo, Chen, School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University; School of International Media Education, Communication University of China • This study adopts tweets (n = 756, 118) and Weibo posts (n = 362, 950) to examine how the American and Chinese people perceive the COVID-19 vaccine on social media. Results from semantic network analysis and automatic sentiment analysis demonstrate distinct discussion themes and emotion distributions on the two platforms. The differences are deeply connected with the cultural characteristics of the two countries. Enlightened by the cultural sensitivity approach, we accentuate the critical role of culture in understanding public health issues.

Research Paper • Pandemic in the age of social media: A content analysis of health organizations social media engagement strategies during COVID-19 outbreak • Lyu, Yuanwei, The university of alabama • Taking the approach of strategic health risk communication, this study examined the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related social media posts by representative public health organizations on Instagram. A content analysis was conducted to identify the types of communication, the use of visual strategies, primary emotion and risk perception in COVID-19 communication. The results suggested that social media messaging may be the best practice of risk communication, when it is based on the strategic use of risk communication principles such as addressing public fears and concerns, incorporating transcendent visual imagery, and providing solution-based information. Furthermore, our findings indicated that Instagram could be a valuable platform for establishing meaningful and interactive communication during the pandemic. The implications for strategic communication professionals are also discussed in the context.

Research Paper • Exploring the Cosmos: The Rhetoric of Successful Science Television • Matthews, Alexandrea • This study investigated how the rhetorical elements of kairos, ethos, and mythos were used in both Cosmos and its remake, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, to determine the similarities and differences between the two series through a coded qualitative data content analysis. The results showed many examples of rhetoric, which may be used with the intention of creating acceptance of science, improving understanding of complicated concepts, and portraying science in a more relatable way.

Research Paper • The Impact of Emotion and Humor on Support for Global Warming Action • McKasy, Meaghan, Utah Valley University • This study aims to understand the influence of mirth and emotions on support for global warming as elicited by different humor types. It also examines the potential moderating role of individual climate views. The mediating paths through mirth and anger were significant, while hope was not. However, a post hoc analysis found a that climate views significantly moderated the influence of hope on support for global warming actions. The implications of our findings are discussed.

Extended Abstract • Understanding the nature of communication in a smartphone-based peer support group for alcohol use disorder • MOON, TAE-JOON, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio • This study examines the nature of communication (e.g., topics of messages, structure of communication) in a smart-phone based peer support group (PSG) for people with alcohol use disorder. Among the 170 study participants, 126 participated in communication with peers within the PSG at least once during the 12-month intervention period. Using a natural language processing approach and sequential analytic methods, this study identified four main topics of discussion and three distinctive sequences of supportive communication.

Extended Abstract • Hydropower in the news: how journalists do (not) cover the environmental and socioeconomic costs of dams in Brazil • Mourao, Rachel, Michigan State University • Despite massive environmental impact and socioeconomic risk, hydropower dams continue to be widely adopted in developing countries. This study uses qualitative and quantitative content analyses to identify how Brazilian media has portrayed hydropower in the past two decades. We found that news about hydropower relies on official and construction companies’ voices and focuses on economic progress, bureaucracy, corruption, and politics, ignoring the risks posed by the dams and silencing local residents and activists.

Extended Abstract • Extended Abstract: The Role of Felt Responsibility in Climate Change Political Participation • Munson, Sammi, George Mason University • This study investigates the role of felt responsibility to reduce climate change as an antecedent to climate change related political participation in the form of willingness to join a campaign, likelihood of supporting pro-climate presidential candidates, and past contacting of elected officials. Using nationally representative survey data (N = 1,029) we found that felt responsibility has a significant positive relationship with future behavioral intent, but not past behavior. Implications and future research are discussed.

Extended Abstract • Measuring the brand of science: Implications for science communication research and practice • Newman, Todd • Research on branding seeks to uncover the emotional, sensory, and cognitive meanings when a person first encounters an object, person, or idea. This paper will uncover these meanings related to science, and why a branding framework is important for science communication theory and practice. Reporting on survey data collected in March 2021, our results suggest a consistent brand image for science, yet a more nuanced context for how different branding constructs relate to science.

Research Paper • Differential Effects of Mass Media and Social Media on Health Prevention for E-cigarettes Among Young Adults • Oh, Sang-Hwa, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Despite the importance of examining the effects of different media platforms in addressing emerging public health risks, relatively little studies have investigated the differential effects on the two levels of health prevention, individual- and policy-levels. Guided by the framework of the influence of presumed media influence (IPMI) and the differential-impact hypothesis, this study explores the underlying mechanism through which traditional media and social media promote the two levels of health prevention for e-cigarettes. Analyzing survey data from 246 young adults, this study found that obtaining e-cigarette messages from social media was more influential than traditional media in shaping e-cigarette cessation efforts and leading to policy support for regulating the selling and buying of e-cigarettes. Exposure to anti e-cigarette messages in social media affected perceived exposure of close others to anti-vaping messages, and in turn, affected perceived influenced of close others on shaping intention to avoid vaping, which resulting in increased two levels of health prevention for e-cigarettes.

Research Paper • Empowering migrant domestic workers during public health crises through integrated connectedness to storytelling networks • Oktavianus, Jeffry, City University of Hong Kong • Learning from the experience of Indonesian migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Hong Kong during COVID-19 pandemic, this study attempts to examine how the integrated connectedness to storytelling networks (ICSN), comprising interpersonal communication, community organizations, and media outlets, produces empowerment effects amid health emergencies. The findings suggested that while ICSN directly affected interactional health empowerment of MDWs, the influences of ICSN on intrapersonal and behavioral health empowerment were mediated by perceived social support.

Research Paper • Challenging the stigma of a “woman’s illness” and “feminine problem”: A cross-cultural analysis of news stories about eating disorders and men • Parrott, Scott • Eating disorders present serious health consequences for men in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Nevertheless, men may not seek treatment for eating disorders because eating disorders are stigmatized by the lay population as feminine. Indeed, health professionals describe men who experience eating disorders as vulnerable to double stigma because of cultural norms concerning mental illness and masculinity. The mass media represent an important source of information concerning mental illnesses, including eating disorders, and research suggests that mass media exposure carries the potential to mitigate or nurture stigma. Given this background, we examined how news organizations in Canada, the U.K. and the U.S. covered men and eating disorders between 2010 and 2019. Our study found that journalists often provided men a platform through which to communicate their experiences with eating disorders, challenging assumptions concerning so-called “feminine problems.”

Extended Abstract • Beyond a national sample: Contextualizing underserved communities’ vaccine hesitancy during COVID-19 • Paulin, Lisa, North Carolina Central University • By all accounts, ethnic minorities have suffered more during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Existing health disparities have been amplified along with an infodemic that has caused widespread confusion and mistrust. The study shares results of a concerted effort to reach communities with persistent health and economic disparities in the U.S. southeast through testing events, in-person paper surveys and targeted, accurate communication. The survey results found relationships between vaccine hesitancy, race, and income/education as well as relationships between information sources and emotional well-being.

Research Paper • How Lay Audiences Evaluate Scientific Uncertainty Disclosure: The Roles of Source and Preference for Communication of Uncertainty • Ratcliff, Chelsea, University of Georgia • Understanding how public audiences evaluate science news, especially portrayals of uncertain science, remains a pressing research goal. Contributing to this understanding, the current study compared U.S. adults’ (N = 502) responses to science news stories depicting either certain or uncertain implications of a study about genomics and depression. The (un)certainty was conveyed by either the scientists responsible for the research (“primary” scientists) or by an unaffiliated scientist. Results of this 2 × 2 factorial design showed no main effect of uncertainty disclosure on news article credibility, scientist trustworthiness, or perceived accuracy of the scientists’ depiction. However, primary scientists’ depictions were perceived as significantly more accurate when statements of either certainty or uncertainty came from the primary scientists rather than an unaffiliated scientist. Individual preference for communication of scientific uncertainty also moderated these effects, such that communicating uncertainty (vs. certainty) produced greater scientist trust and news credibility, but only when preference for disclosure was high—and only when disclosure came from the primary scientist. Intolerance of uncertainty and need for cognition did not moderate the effects.

Extended Abstract • Corporate Responsibility in the Global Village: The Roles of Global Identity, CSR Globality, and Construal Level • Ryoo, Yuhosua, Southern Illinois University • Understanding consumers’ prioritization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives is of interest to marketers in the global market. This research showed that consumers with a global (local) identity resonate with global (local) CSR initiatives and this tendency is prevalent when presented with high (low) construal level messages.

Extended Abstract • Scapegoated and Marginalized: European Press Coverage of the Roma During the COVID-19 Pandemic • Schneeweis, Adina, Oakland University • This research evaluates one year of European news during the COVID-19 pandemic to examine the public discourse about the Roma, its largest and most marginalized ethnic community. Drawing from 224 news published in English, French, Italian, and Romanian in 59 outlets, the study finds that much of the coverage highlights how vulnerability and marginalization have been greatly exacerbated by the health crisis, yet with considerable focus on blame and backwardness at the same time.

Research Paper • Beyond Fear Appeals: The Role of Hope in Improving Effectiveness of Health Messages • SEO, YOUNGJI • One of the understudied areas in health communication research is hope. This study examines the effect of efficacy-inducing information on hope and subsequent attitudinal health behaviors. A total of five hundred fifty-three adults in the United States read health promotion social media posts designed to induce perceived self-efficacy (vs. non-efficacy-inducing health information) in fear appeal regarding four different health diseases including melanoma, COVID-19, diabetes, and heart diseases. Results indicated that exposure to efficacy-inducing information enhanced hope, which boosted behavioral intention and intention to seek information. However, the effect was varied by each health topic. Statistical evaluation supported a model where the indirect effect of exposure to efficacy-inducing information on behavioral intention and intention to seek information through feelings of hope. Implications for health communication theory and practice are further discussed.

Research Paper • How Group Identity Polarizes Public Deliberation on Controversial Science • Shao, Anqi • Misinformation and out-group hatred language are two pathologies challenging informed citizenship. This paper examines how identity language is used in misinformation and counter-narratives on controversial science on a Chinese popular Q&A platform and their impact on how the public engage with science. We found that users who debunked misinformation used a similar amount of group identity language as those who propagated misinformation. The use of identity language made public discourse more uncivil and less deliberative.

Extended Abstract • Why Transmedia Edutainment? Exploring Young Adults’ Reception on its Role, Potential, and Limitations for Sustainable Development • Shata, Aya, University of Miami • This paper aims to explore young adults’ attitudes and impressions towards transmedia edutainment (TE-E) to better understand its attributes and role in shaping young adults understanding for social and environmental issues. Using the United Nation’s TE-E to promote the sustainable development goals, a total of five online focus groups discussions were conducted among young adults using photo elicitation to assess participants’ reactions to TE-E. Three dominant themes emerged from the analysis.

Extended Abstract • The medication effects of fear on the relationship between gain/loss message frames and cognitive/conative responses • Shin, Sumin, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater • This study investigates the underlying mechanism of fear appeal effects on behavioral changes applying the emotions-as-frame model and protection motivation theory to the green advertising context. The results indicate that a loss-framed message arises fear increasing severity, vulnerability, response efficacy, and self-efficacy, which in turn affect the intention to purchase a green product. Furthermore, this study results that a gain frame is more effective to lead green behavior than a loss frame.

Research Paper • Effects of substantiation and specificity of social media green messages on audience responses • Shin, Sumin, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater • This study examines the effects of environmental, social media messages on audiences’ responses. An online experiment results that a substantive or specific message increases favorable attitude toward both the message and organization, credibility of the message and organization, and green organization image. The favorable attitude, high credibility, and green image lead to high intention to engage in the organization’s green campaign, purchase its green product, and respond to the social media message.

Extended Abstract • Closing the Barn Door? Fact-checkers as retroactive gatekeepers of the Covid-19 “infodemic” • Singer, Jane B., City, University of London • Based on a study of U.S.-tagged items in a global database of fact-checked statements about the novel coronavirus, this paper explores the nature of fact-checkers’ “retroactive gatekeeping.” This term is introduced here to describe the process of assessing the veracity of information after it has entered the public domain rather than before. Although an overwhelming majority of statements were deemed false, preliminary findings indicate misinformation proved persistent, global, and reflective of an often-bizarrely refracted reality.

Research Paper • Fighting Misinformation on Social Media: The Roles of Evidence Type and Presentation Mode • Song, Celine Yunya, Hong Kong Baptist U • An online experiment was conducted to examine the impact of evidence type (evidence type: statistical vs. non-statistical) and presentation mode (textual-only vs. pictorial-only vs. textual-plus-pictorial) on individuals’ responses to corrective information about COVID-19 on social media. The results indicated that corrective information backed by non-statistical evidence (in contrast to statistical evidence) enhanced message elaboration, which in turn led to greater misperception reduction, higher ratings of message believability, and stronger intention to engage in viral behaviors (e.g., sharing, liking, and commenting on the post). Compared to the textual-only modality and the textual-plus-pictorial modality, the pictorial-only modality induced a significantly lower level of message elaboration, which subsequently resulted in lower message believability and less viral behavioral intention. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Research Paper • How misinformation and its rebuttals in online comments affect people’s intention to receive COVID-19 vaccines: The role of psychological reactance and misperceptions • Sun, Yanqing • This study investigated the mechanisms by which exposure to negative and misleading online comments on COVID-19 vaccination promotional messages and ensuing corrective rebuttals of the comments could affect people’s vaccination attitudes and intentions. An online experiment was performed with 360 adults in the United States. The results show that rebuttals by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rather than rebuttals from users, indirectly improve people’s attitude and willingness towards the vaccination by reducing their psychological reactance to the persuasive messages and beliefs in the misinformation reflected in the comments, especially among supporters of the vaccination. For the opponents of vaccination, the CDC’s rebuttals seemed to evoke a backfire effect on these people’s misperceptions. By combining the two lines of research on psychological reactance and misinformation, this study deepens the understanding of the theoretical arguments about these two communication phenomena and the relationship between them.

Research Paper • Integrating Self-affirmation and EPPM to Promote Health Experts’ Misinformation Corrective Actions • Tang, Hongjie • Health misinformation is prevalent in the social media domain. Combating “infodemic” has deemed to be a major agenda for health communication in the post covid-19 era. However, the extant literature of how to mobilize individuals to correct online health misinformation is scant. Based on the extended parallel process model (EPPM) and self-affirmation theory, the current research experimentally examined the persuasiveness of fear appeal messages, as well as self-affirmation on health experts’ misinformation correction intention for others. A 2 (threat: high vs. low) × 2 (efficacy: high vs. low) × 2 (self-affirmation: yes vs. no) between- subject factorial experiment was conducted. The results revealed main effects of threat, efficacy and self-affirmation on intention to correct health misinformation for others. In addition, the two-way interactions between threat and efficacy, as well as threat and self- affirmation were documented. The three-way interaction between these three factors was also significant. Theoretical implications and practical implications for health misinformation debunking were discussed.

Extended Abstract • Impact of Science Journalism Experience on Information Selection from Press Releases: A Novel Quasi-Experimental Approach • Tiffany, Leigh Anne, Michigan State University • This quasi-experiment aims to provide evidence for (or against) the impact of science journalism experience on how reporters cover science when using information from press releases. As data collection must be completed to begin analysis, findings declarations would be premature at this time. However, it can be said that this novel approach will provide insight into if there is a measurable difference in how journalists report on science topics based on science journalism experience.

Extended Abstract • Extended Abstract: Truths, Lies, and Compliance with Covid-19 Guidance • Tully, Melissa, University of Iowa • Uncertainty around Covid-19 has created an environment that is swirling with misinformation. Research shows that exposure to Covid-19 misinformation is associated with less compliance with public health guidelines for disease prevention. This study uses a survey to examine perceptions of information about Covid-19 as mis- or disinformation, and explores the relationship between perceptions and compliance with public health guidance. Results suggest that mis- and disinformation perceptions are high and these perceptions differentially affect compliance likelihood.

Research Paper • “BFF: Beer Friends Forever” Close Friends’ Role in Adolescents’ Sharing of Alcohol References on Social Media • Vanherle, Robyn • By conducting go-along interviews among adolescents (N = 26, M age = 16.31, SD = .83), this study is one of the first to provide a profound insight into the specific role of close friends in adolescents’ motives for sharing, and reacting to, moderate and extreme alcohol-related content on social media. As such, we encourage future research and interventions to target these intimate groups of close friends rather than focusing on broader peer groups.

Extended Abstract • Extended Abstract: A message from grandma: A research on the relationship between social media reposting behavior and subjective well-being in the elderly • Wang, Geng, Shanghai Jiaotong University • In the context of deepening population aging and rapid technological development, we explored the impacts of online reposting behavior on subjective well-being (SWB) of the elderly. We found that reposting significantly predicted SWB through a questionnaire survey conducted in 15 districts of Shanghai, and perceived social support and self-esteem played mediation roles. The moderating effect of positive feedback was not verified. We tried to interpret the results on the basis of ‘digital self’ construction.

Extended Abstract • Characterizing Discourses about COVID-19 Vaccines on Twitter: A Topic Modeling and Sentiment Analysis Approach • Wang, Yuan, The University of Maryland, College Park • This study identified seven themes of COVID-19 vaccine related discourses on Twitter (N = 304,292), including vaccine advocacy, recognition for healthcare workers, vaccine rollout, vaccine side effects, vaccine policies, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine facts. Trust is the most salient emotions associated with COVID-19 vaccine discourses, followed by anticipation, fear, joy, sadness, anger, surprise, and disgust. Among the seven themes, vaccine advocacy tweets were most likely to receive likes and comments, and vaccine fact tweets were most likely to receive shares.

Extended Abstract • Extended Abstract: Previvorship: How individuals with genetic predispositions for breast cancer present their experiences across social media platforms • Wellman, Mariah, University of Utah • Research on previvors, individuals carrying mutations in known cancer risk genes, examines online information gathering and social support to alleviate uncertainty, however, research exploring online content published by previvors themselves is limited. We collected content across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to understand how previvorship and the processes within (genetic testing, diagnosis, and preventative measures) are presented. Our findings illustrate how each platform functions as part of a holistic picture of previvorship on social media.

Research Paper • Exploratory Research on Health Knowledge, Negative Emotions, Risk Perceptions, and Intentions to Practice the Preventive Guidance during the COVID-19 Pandemic • WEN, CHIA-HO RYAN, Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University • This study is dedicated to understanding the roles of cognition (COVID-19 knowledge), affect (fear and anger), and risk perceptions, as intervening variables between information sources and intentions to apply preventive measures for COVID-19 (i.e. facial coverings, social distancing, self-quarantine, and regular sanitization). Through an online survey of 99 participants at Syracuse University, our results reveal that, first, among all ten types of sources we examined, only cable TV and print media were significantly predictive and associated inversely with knowledge and positively with fear. Second, fear was directly related to risk perceptions, whereas anger and knowledge were insignificant predictors. Third, only risk perceptions were predictive and positively related to facial coverings. Fourth and finally, neither knowledge nor negative emotions were associated with any of the preventive measures.

Research Paper • The Distance Between Us: Effects of Inter-Group Similarity on Donation Intention and Emotions during the COVID-19 Pandemic • Wong, Jody Chin Sing • Guided by construal level theory, this research examines the effects of social distance on prosocial behavior by manipulating inter-group similarity. A theoretical model is proposed in which different levels of inter-group similarity prompt Americans to experience varied emotions toward others and report different donation intentions. Aside from close-ended survey questions, we conduct a computerized textual analysis of open-ended responses using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). Based on a nationally-representative sample of American adults (N = 1009), results indicate that in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants exposed to a far social distance message were more likely to construe this event abstractly and less likely to donate to aid COVID-19 response. Nonetheless, this type of mental construal was associated with an increase in emotional responses. This research contributes to the literature on construal level theory and offers important insights on how communication scholars, media establishments, and members of the issue public can communicate more effectively to the public about public health crises.

Extended Abstract • Trauma-informed Messages in Predicting Domestic Violence Attitudes among Battered Women with Childhood Trauma • Wongphothiphan, Thipkanok • In response to a high prevalence of psychological trauma associated with childhood abuse and domestic violence and a low accessible rate of trauma-informed services, the current study designed and tested the effects of trauma-informed messages (TIM) to persuade battered women with childhood trauma to leave their current abusive partner terminate using a survey (N = 284). Findings revealed TIM’s effectiveness in predicting trauma knowledge, leaving intention, empowerment aspects relative to control messages. The moderating roles of borderline personality traits and attachment styles are discussed.

Research Paper • Community Resilience and the News: Local and National Hurricane Coverage • Xie, Lola, Pennsylvania State University • The term “resilience” has gained traction in recent years to mean the ability of communities and individuals to prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptions such as extreme weather events. The goal of this study is to understand how the language of resilience was constructed by national and local media outlets during and after Hurricane Florence. We discuss in comparative context the nuances in news constructions of resilience during a crisis and how those may change over time.

Research Paper • Risk or Efficacy? How Age and Seniority Influenced the Usage of Hearing Protection Devices: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China • Xu, Peng • Through a paper-pencil survey, this study examined whether age and seniority moderated the effect of perceived severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy on hearing protection devices (HPD) usage by 449 Chinese workers at noise-exposure positions. We found perceived severity only motivated HPD usage for younger workers, and response efficacy and self-efficacy exhibited a stronger effect on HPD usage among senior workers than junior workers. These findings provide implications on the subsequent campaign which facilitates HPD usage.

Research Paper • Embedded Contexts and Multilayered Interactions: User Comments and Interactions Analysis on YouTube Related to Climate Change • Xu, Sifan, University of Tennessee Knoxville • As misinformation and climate change denial videos abound on YouTube, a platform that has more than 2 billion monthly active users as of 2021, research of climate change on YouTube is limited. More importantly, it is necessary to go beyond examining how climate change has been discussed and focus on how individuals interact with each other regarding their climate change viewpoints in such a mediated context. By examining and content analyzing a representative sample of YouTube comments and videos on climate change, the current study utilizes coordinated management of meaning theory to understand the multilayered interactions of YouTube users on climate change. The results of the study suggest that coordinated management of meaning theory, particularly the notion of embedded contexts, has implications for interactions in socially mediated and digital interactions. The study results also highlight practical implications for users’ interactions on YouTube regarding climate change, where framing effects, echo chambers, and asymmetrical tendencies of users’ challenge to other viewpoints co-exist.

Extended Abstract • Who am I Connected with? Community Detection and Effects in an Online Peer-to-Peer Support Forum • Yang, Ellie F., University of Wisconsin Madison • This study collected digital trace data from an online peer-to-peer forum designed to support substance use disorder (SUD) recovery. We applied social network analysis (SNA) to detect community formation shaped by users’ communicative interactions, and relate community membership to individual characteristics and health outcomes. Preliminary results reveal five communities in this online forum with distinct racial backgrounds or level of education. Compared to users without community affiliation, users in certain communities showed greater health benefits for SUD recovery.

Research Paper • Media Sources in Risk Communication in China: Official Press, Market-oriented Press, and Medical We Media • Yang, Tianyi, Shanghai Jiao Tong University • Using a content analysis and a survey, this study compares the topics and attitudes of media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in official press, market-oriented press, and medical We Media in China, and investigates how media sources affected people’s emotions and risk information-consuming behaviors. Findings suggest official press prioritized measures undertaken by governmental and medical departments and held a more optimistic attitude. Market-oriented press and medical We Media paid extra attention to the status of pandemic situation and self-protective behaviors, respectively. Official press was positively associated with people’s optimistic emotion, whereas medical We Media increased anxiety. Market-oriented press was positively associated with information sharing and information avoidance; Medical We Media was only positively related to information sharing. Comparing to the other media sources, official press exerted less impact on people’s information-consuming behaviors.

Research Paper • Social Media Exposure, Interpersonal Communication, and Tampon Use: A Multigroup Comparison Based on Network Structure • Yang, Yin, Pennsylvania State University • Building upon the integrative model of behavioral prediction and network structure theory, this study examines how interpersonal communication influences the effect of social media exposure on Chinese women’s tampon use intention. Through an online survey (N = 763), we found that social media exposure was positively related to the behavioral intention through attitudes, descriptive norm, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, the effect of social media exposure differed among people with different network structures of interpersonal communication.

Extended Abstract • Extended abstract: Risk perceptions link to prevention intentions during Covid-19 pandemic through affection: A Chinese three-generation study • Yao, Yao • In the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, three generations showed different epidemic responses in China. This study developed a moderated mediation model from the perspective of intergenerational differences to investigate how risk perceptions affected the prevention intentions of different generations through negative affection and self-efficacy. The study clustered out three types of families with different epidemic coping patterns.

Research Paper • The Differential Effects of Science Humor on Three Scientific Issues: Global Warming, Artificial Intelligence, and Microbiomes • Yeo, Sara, University of Utah • This study aims to understand the conditional nature of the mechanism by which science humor affects people’s social media engagement intentions by eliciting mirth. We replicated a previous experiment with three scientific topics. For two of the three issues, AI and microbiomes, the proposed pathways, moderated by need for humor (NFH), were significant. However, humor did not have the same effect on engagement intentions related to global warming. The implications of our findings are discussed.

Extended Abstract • [Extended Abstract] Mapping risk and benefit perceptions of energy sources: Comparing public and expert mental models • Yu, Peihan • Public support for new energy technologies can vary. Thus, understanding public perceptions towards these technologies is crucial for developing effective risk communication. This study uses the mental models approach to understand risk and benefit perceptions of various energy sources in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Public and energy experts’ perceptions were elicited using focus group discussions, enabling the construction and comparison of public and expert mental models, across energy sources and countries. Initial findings are discussed.

Research Paper • Correcting Science Misinformation in an Authoritarian Country: An Experiment from China • Yu, Wenting • In recent years, corrective messages are found to be useful in refuting misconceptions. An increasing number of studies examined the effects of corrective messages. But existing studies mostly focus on correction effect in the Western context. This study aims to compare the effects of different types of corrective messages in an authoritarian country. We focused on the message features that suggest government authoritativeness. Through an online experiment, we compared the impacts of correction sources (official vs. professional vs. layperson) and tones (formal vs. conversational) on the believability of the correction. The results indicated corrections from a government source and delivered in a formal tone were more believable in China. In addition, we examined the moderating role of attitude congruence.

Extended Abstract • Third-person-hypothesis of Climate Change Campaigns in China: the Impact of Disaster Vulnerability and Social Media Use on Conformity Behavior • Zhu, Yicheng, Beijing Normal University • The study focuses on the effect of social media use on public perceptions of climate change campaigns: including their perceived social desirability, presumed media influence (as measure in third-person-hypothesis), and consequent conformity behaviors. The current study also incorporated psychological antecedents including institutional trust and expert trust. With a multi-group structural equation modelling and clustered multiple regressions, this study tends to explore how geographical, political, and economic factors modify how Chinese residents perceive national climate change campaigns and how likely they would conform with governmental recommendations.

<2021 Abstracts

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