Predictors and outcomes of individual knowledge on early-stage pandemic: Social media, information credibility, public opinion, and behaviour in a large-scale global study

This study explores how individuals obtain knowledge, perceive information sources, behave, and form opinions while facing a pandemic at an early stage. We develop a conceptual model linking the predictors of individuals' knowledge with people's behavior and opinions. The model is empirica...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInformation processing & management Vol. 58; no. 6; p. 102720
Main Authors Chawla, Yash, Radziwon, Agnieszka, Scaringella, Laurent, Carlson, Ewa Lazarczyk, Greco, Marco, Silveira, Paulo Duarte, de Aguiar, Eduardo Pestana, Shen, QingYang, Will, Markus, Kowalska-Pyzalska, Anna
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2021
Elsevier Science Ltd
Subjects
Corporate management
COVID-19
Early-stage pandemics
False information
Individual knowledge
Information sources
Internet users
Knowledge
Pandemics
Public behavior
Public opinion
Social media
Social networks
Sources of information
Public behavior
Internet users
Social media
Individual knowledge
Early-stage pandemics
Sources of information
Public opinion
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Summary:This study explores how individuals obtain knowledge, perceive information sources, behave, and form opinions while facing a pandemic at an early stage. We develop a conceptual model linking the predictors of individuals' knowledge with people's behavior and opinions. The model is empirically tested through a large-scale global survey of 15,552 respondents from 126 nationalities. Our results indicate that relying on one source of information does not lead to favourable behavior towards curbing the pandemic. Furthermore, we need to educate people and control misinformation spread on policy and social network platforms to curb emergencies collectively.
ISSN:0306-4573
1873-5371
DOI:10.1016/j.ipm.2021.102720