Public Relations and Crisis Communication
Open access
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
This study investigates how digital media exposure is associated with individuals' psychological responses and behavioral adaptation during crises. Building on the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), the study provides an empirical examination of the associations among perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived self-efficacy, response efficacy, trust in government, social trust, and preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed conceptual model was tested using structural equation modeling (AMOS-SEM 22) based on cross-sectional survey data collected online in China (N = 1600). The results indicate that digital media exposure is positively associated with perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived self-efficacy, response efficacy, trust in government, and social trust. These six factors were also significantly associated with individuals' preventive behaviors. Notably, trust-related factors, including trust in government and social trust, showed the strongest associations with preventive behaviors, exceeding the associations observed for perceived threat (perceived severity and susceptibility) and perceived efficacy (self-efficacy and response efficacy). These findings are consistent with the EPPM and suggest that trust may be an important psychological and social factor to consider when applying the model to digital crisis communication contexts. From a psychological and applied perspective, the results highlight the relevance of reciprocal crisis communication and public engagement. Transparent, credible, and interactive communication by public relations officials and authorities may be associated with higher levels of public trust and greater adherence to recommended preventive practices during crises.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "Digital media exposure, trust, and preventive behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Public Relations and Crisis Communication research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Shah2026Digital,
title = {Digital media exposure, trust, and preventive behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic},
author = {Zakir Shah and Lu Wei and Abdul Wahab Rahimi},
journal = {Acta Psychologica},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107417},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107417}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Public Relations and Crisis Communication research papers?
Follow Public Relations and Crisis Communication research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for Digital media exposure, trust, and preventive behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app