This study explores how audiences seek information from social and traditional media, what factors affect media use during crises. Using the social-mediated crisis communication (SMCC) model, an examination of sources reveals that crises for insider checking in with family/friends educational purposes. Convenience, involvement, personal recommendations encourage use; overload discourages both. Humor attitudes about purpose discourage while credibility encourages use. Practically, findings...

Publics increasingly use social media during crises and, consequently, crisis communication professionals need to understand how strategically optimize these tools. Despite this need, there is scarce theory-grounded research key factors that affect publics consume information via compared other sources. To fill gap, an emerging model helps managers produce, consume, and/or share and sources: the social-mediated (SMCC). This study tests essential components of SMCC through a 3 (crisis form) x...

Through 22 in-depth interviews and an experiment with 162 college students, this study applies the social-mediated crisis communication (SMCC) model to understand why how publics communicate about crises. Specifically, focuses on source form of initial information are exposed affect their communication. The findings confirm validity SMCC model's core components related publics' communicative tendencies under influence traditional media, social offline word-of-mouth results also indicate that...

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges for the United States and world. In this article, we discuss several communication that have arisen during pandemic, with insights from fields of health crisis communication. We focus in particular on lack clarity US response terms both what behaviors are trying to change how communicating about behavior change. While mixed messages contradictions hampered thus far, it is our hope will do better going forward. This require state local...

Through a nationally representative U.S. survey of 1,214 participants, this study examined attitudes toward the role corporations in public interest communications and response to series recent high-profile corporate social advocacy cases. Findings provide preliminary evidence for what types interests are most appropriate organizations address, based on perceived motivations, commitment advocacy, dimension as actors change. Results from suggest demographic differences by political...

During public health crises like infectious disease outbreaks, news media and governments are responsible for informing the about how to protect themselves. A large body of communication research finds that persuasive narratives motivate protective behaviors, such as intentions vaccinate. In their seminal book on crisis narratives, Seeger Sellnow (Narratives crisis: Telling stories ruin renewal. Stanford University) theorized five narrative types: blame, renewal, victim, hero, memorial. this...

The pervasive of COVID-19 information has driven some to escape daily conversations or media coverage. A rich set theoretical discussions and empirical studies help explain why individuals avoid health risk information, but few have explored social network antecedents avoidance. This study investigates how personal discussion networks about shape individuals' avoidance behaviors. Using a nationally representative sample (N = 1,304), we examined the effects size, heterogeneity, ego-alter...

This study examined corporate social advocacy and political activism through the case of DICK’s Sporting Goods company’s recent stance on gun control reform. Themes related to stakeholders, values, versus were explored an interview with President, documentation including CEO statements from company, a media content analysis 3,000 public tweets in wake announcement. Findings revealed that actions extended beyond into activism, partly driven by secondary stakeholders. action created...

This article seeks to delineate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and change asks important question of whether how corporations may serve as agents change. Dimensions business–society are explored further distinguish CSR from other types initiatives critically examine what can effectively ethically vehicles for Based on this exploration, advances a descriptive model relationships their capacity creating promoting A case evaluation Coca-Cola’s ‘3Ws’ – related...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine Millennial consumers’ responses two corporate social initiative types – socially responsible business practices and philanthropy in combination with proactive reactive CSR communication strategies. Design/methodology/approach A 2 (corporate philanthropy/socially practices) ×2 (proactive/reactive communication) between-subjects experiment was conducted. Findings were largely perceived more positively than the philanthropic initiatives. Likewise,...

Obesity is linked to numerous diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. To address this issue, food beverage manufacturers as well health organizations have developed nutrition symbols logos be placed on the front of packages guide consumers more healthful choices. In 2010, U.S. Food Drug Administration requested information extent which notice, use, understand front-of-package symbols. response, study used eye-tracking technology explore degree people pay visual attention...

The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly spread around the world, and since currently no treatments that are safe effective for large groups of people nor a vaccine available, best way to prevent illness is avoid being exposed virus causing it. purpose this study was examine predictive effects both demographic psychosocial factors originating with Health Belief Model on reported intent adhere preventive behaviors (e.g., social distancing, hand washing, not attending gatherings).A Qualtrics survey...

To understand how individuals navigate the complex, dynamic, and bewildering media information environment, we propose a convergence framework theorizing individuals’ acquisition of from distinct sources on multiple mediums, along with its antecedents consequences. This study is among first to test framework. Using national sample during COVID-19 pandemic, our results revealed four patterns key outcomes these patterns. Individuals’ verification tendency, perceived medium anonymity, trust in...

The Syrian refugee crisis, started in 2011, has resulted millions of Syrians fleeing their homes: 6.6 million have been internally displaced and more than 4.6 fled the country. This flow refugees led to both humanitarian efforts assist growing views as a threat receiving countries’ security autonomy. Sentiments about still-growing crisis are increasingly expressed on social media platforms, including visual ones like Instagram Pinterest. However, little is known what how information...