The Effects of Pandemic-Related Fear on Social Connectedness Through Social Media Use and Self-Disclosure

Abstract

Abstract. In light of the prolonged period of social distancing and highly mediated communication patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study sought to understand how pandemic-related fear affects social connectedness. Drawing from the Internet-enhanced self-disclosure and fear-eliciting affiliation hypotheses, survey findings from a stratified sample collected among Hong Kong university students ( N = 310) revealed that pandemic-related fear positively influences social connectedness not only through self-disclosure but also through the combination of information seeking and self-disclosure. Social interaction, however, does not mediate the relationship between fear and social connectedness on its own. Overall, we argue that fear motivated people to seek information, self-disclose, and articulate connectedness with society. During this process, social media provided an essential ground and self-disclosure proved a viable tool. This study demonstrated that negative emotions aroused in crisis situations might result in constructive behaviors, which is contingent on how people react to mitigate the negative consequences.