Predicting Public Cooperation Toward Government Actions in the Early Stages of an Influenza Pandemic in the United States: The Role of Authentic Governmental Communication and Relational Quality.
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
During a public health crisis, government sector is considered the natural leader for overall preparedness and management efforts. Integrating the literature from public relations and public health disciplines, this study proposes a theoretical model to predict individuals' perceptions, communicative action, as well as their behaviors to follow the governments' instructions in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Linking relationship management factors and the framework of the situational theory of problem-solving, the findings of this study demonstrate that authentic communication and relational quality can help increase positive perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes desired by governments regarding pandemic management. However, our findings suggested that unproductive uses of authentic governmental communication may create adverse effects on publics' perceptions and interpretations and thus pose potential risks, particularly when a public health issue is significantly politicized. Specifically, this study found that, in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic in which the Trump administration was blamed for lack of planning and halting responses in the fight against the virus, conservatives who believe that the federal government is practicing authentic communication during the pandemic would consider the issue less important and irreverent; meanwhile, they would recognize more barriers to adopt preventive actions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
期刊介绍:
Empirical research in communication began in the 20th century, and there are more researchers pursuing answers to communication questions today than at any other time. The editorial goal of Communication Research is to offer a special opportunity for reflection and change in the new millennium. To qualify for publication, research should, first, be explicitly tied to some form of communication; second, be theoretically driven with results that inform theory; third, use the most rigorous empirical methods; and fourth, be directly linked to the most important problems and issues facing humankind. Critieria do not privilege any particular context; indeed, we believe that the key problems facing humankind occur in close relationships, groups, organiations, and cultures.