Inoculating an Infodemic: An Ecological Approach to Understanding Engagement With COVID-19 Online Information. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Houlden, Shandell; Hodson, Jaigris; Veletsianos, George; Thompson, Christiani P.; Reid, Darren
• Other Names: Robinson Laura guest-editor.; Huang Kuo-Ting guest-editor.; Schulz Jeremy guest-editor.; Chiaraluce Cara guest-editor.; Khilnani Aneka guest-editor.; Johnston Elisha guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: American behavioral scientist. Volume 65:Number 14(2021)
• Page Start: 1990
• Page End: 2013
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- misinformation -- online engagement -- information seeking -- socio-ecological model; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/00027642211050903
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-7642

Abstract

As the global COVID-19 pandemic has been concurrently labelled an "infodemic, " researchers have sought to improve how the general public engages with information that is relevant, timely, and accurate. In this study, we provide an overview of the reasons why people engage and disengage with COVID-19 information. We use context-rich semi-structured interviews which invited participants to discuss online COVID-19-related content they encountered. This qualitative approach allows us to uncover subtle but important details of influences that drive online engagement. Participants both engaged and disengaged with content for individual and social reasons, with seven themes emerging connected to their engagement including actions in response to information, reasoning for engagement, content, motivating concerns, frequency of engagement with information, site of exposure, and given reason for not engaging. Many of these themes intersected and informed each other. Our findings suggest that researchers and public health communicators should approach engagement as an ecology of intersecting influences, both human and algorithmic, which change over time. This information could be potentially helpful to public health communicators who are trying to engage the public with the best information to keep them safe during the pandemic.