Information Seeking and Processing in the Context of Vaccine Scandals. Issue 3 (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Janet Z.; Liu, Zhuling
• Is Part Of: Science communication. Volume 43:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 279
• Page End: 306
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: information seeking -- information processing -- relevant channel beliefs -- perceived information gathering capacity; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Knowledge, Sociology of -- Periodicals; Communication in science -- Periodicals; Communication of technical information -- Periodicals; Communication in medicine -- Periodicals; Information scientifique -- Périodiques; Information technique -- Périodiques; Communication en sciences sociales -- Périodiques; Communication en médecine -- Périodiques; 300.14
• DOI: 10.1177/1075547020983589
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1075-5470

Abstract

This study employs the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model to examine social cognitive variables that motivate active information seeking and systematic processing. The research context is the recent childhood vaccine scandals in China. As a novel contribution to the RISP literature, a significant interaction between relevant channel beliefs and perceived information gathering capacity is unveiled. This result suggests that both information quality and accessibility to information channels influence information seeking, which is an important finding with theoretical and practical implications for other science communication issues.