Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a partisan issue rather than an independent public health issue in the US. This study examined the behavioural consequences of motivated reasoning and framing by investigating the impacts of COVID-19 news exposure and news frames, as apparent through a Latent Dirichlet topic modelling analysis of local news coverage, on state-level preventive behaviours as understood through a nationally representative survey. Findings suggested that the media effects on various preventive behaviours differed. The overall exposure rate to all COVID-19 news articles increased mask-wearing but did not significantly impact other preventive behaviours. Four news frames significantly increased avoiding contact or avoiding public or crowded places. However, news articles discussing anxiety and stay at home order triggered resistance and countereffects and led to risky behaviours. ‘Solid Republican’ state residents were less likely to avoid contact, avoid public or crowded places, and wear masks. However, partisan leanings did not interfere with the impact of differing local COVID-19 news frames on reported preventive behaviours. Plus, statements regarding pre-existing trust in Trump did not correlate with reported preventive behaviour. Attention to effect sizes revealed that news exposure and news frames could have a bigger impact on health behaviours than motivated reasoning.

摘要

在美国，COVID-19 大流行已成为一个党派问题，而不是一个独立的公共卫生问题。本研究通过调查 COVID-19 新闻曝光和新闻框架对当地新闻报道的潜在狄利克雷主题模型分析的影响，考察了动机推理和框架对州级预防行为的影响（通过全国性的预防行为来理解）。代表性调查。研究结果表明，媒体对各种预防行为的影响不同。所有 COVID-19 新闻文章的总体曝光率增加了戴口罩的人数，但并未显着影响其他预防行为。四个新闻框架显着增加了避免接触或避开公共或拥挤场所的频率。然而，讨论焦虑和居家令的新闻文章引发了抵制和反作用，并导致了危险行为。“坚定的共和党”州居民不太可能避免接触、避开公共或拥挤的地方以及戴口罩。然而，党派倾向并没有干扰当地不同的 COVID-19 新闻框架对所报道的预防行为的影响。此外，有关特朗普先前存在的信任的声明与报道的预防行为无关。对效应大小的关注表明，新闻曝光和新闻框架对健康行为的影响可能比动机推理更大。党派倾向并没有干扰当地不同的 COVID-19 新闻框架对所报道的预防行为的影响。此外，有关特朗普先前存在的信任的声明与报道的预防行为无关。对效应大小的关注表明，新闻曝光和新闻框架对健康行为的影响可能比动机推理更大。党派倾向并没有干扰当地不同的 COVID-19 新闻框架对所报道的预防行为的影响。此外，有关特朗普先前存在的信任的声明与报道的预防行为无关。对效应大小的关注表明，新闻曝光和新闻框架对健康行为的影响可能比动机推理更大。