The Impact of Social Media on Preventive Behavior During the COVID-19 Outbreak in South Korea: The Roles of Social Norms and Self-Efficacy.

Social media are important channels to propagate health information and influence preventive behavior during a public health crisis, as witnessed during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This study explored the association between social media use and preventive behavior during the outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korea. Using the national survey data ( = 1,500), the study examined the mediating role of social norms in the association between social media use for news and information about COVID-19 and preventive behavior.

The impact of social media on risk perceptions during the MERS outbreak in South Korea.

Analyzing nationally representative online panel survey data during the MERS outbreak in South Korea, this study examined the role of social media exposure in shaping public's risk perceptions of MERS. The present study also investigated the moderating role of heuristic-systematic processing and self-efficacy in the relationship between social media exposure and risk perceptions. The findings of this study showed that social media exposure was positively related to forming risk perceptions.

The effects of SNS communication: How expressing and receiving information predict MERS-preventive behavioral intentions in South Korea.

Individuals use social network sites (SNSs) as an effective tool for communicating relevant information with others during the outbreak of infectious diseases. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism through which communicative behaviors influence preventive behaviors. Thus, in the context of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in South Korea, this study investigated how two communicative behaviors (message expression and reception) in SNSs affected the communicators' intentions to engage in MERS-preventive behaviors.

Food nanotechnology in the news. Coverage patterns and thematic emphases during the last decade.

For novel issues like food nanotechnology, media can play an important role in shaping the awareness and mental associations that underlie public opinion. Seeking to complement recent research exploring public opinion formation about food nanotechnology, this study tracks the evolution of U.S.