The Impact of Using Social Media to Understand the Pandemic: Does it Spread Conspiracy and Discourage Health-Protective Behaviours?
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study investigates the interplay between social media use for COVID-19 related information, belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and the negative behaviours associated with these conspiracy theories that manifest in participants’ disregard of health-protective behaviours. Participants (N = 69) were recruited from an all-female undergraduate population and completed one online questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic information and experience with the pandemic. Questions about COVID-19 conspiracy theories and health-protective behaviours were adapted from Allington et al.’s (2020) research. A Pearson correlation analysis for using social media or traditional news as a main source of COVID-19 information was not significant with measures of COVID-19 conspiracy belief or health-protective behaviours related to COVID-19. However, the analysis of COVID-19 conspiracy belief and health-protective behaviours related to COVID-19 showed a significant negative correlation, such that conspiracy beliefs were related to less health-protective behaviours.
Author: Kitara Patry
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3154484227