A model for examining the effects of fake news and social endorsement cues on information seeking about public health risk
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of fake news and social endorsement cues (e.g., number of likes and shares) of social media on individuals' information seeking intentions in the context of public health risk. Particularly, this study focuses on perceived credibility of messages and message source, perceived uncertainty about an issue, and emotional responses as cognitive and affective factors to understand how individuals perceive fake news and how their behavioral intentions to seek information about an issue are influenced by exposure to fake news on social media. An online experiment (N = 172) was conducted with college students, which are part of young adults of heavy social media consumers, using the Zika virus outbreak as a subject of social media news. The results of this study showed perceived credibility of messages and message source as an important factor in explaining how individuals process fake news and factual news on social media and perceived uncertainty as a significant predictor of attitudes and behavioral intentions of information seeking. Also, this study found what are characteristics of fake news and how the cognitive and affective factors work together in individuals' perceptions of fake news and the effects of social media messages on information seeking intentions. With future directions of communication studies about fake news and social media messages, implications are discussed in terms of what communication efforts are needed to guide people to use social media as a news source in a more critical and healthier way in health risk and crisis situations.
Degree
Ph. D.