The Effect of Social Media on Preventive Behavioural Intention During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Roles of Interpersonal Communication, Social Media Expression and Knowledge

Abstract

Given the vast amount of possibly relevant information that circulates on social media during epidemics, it is imperative to examine how exposure to such information influences preventive practices. Using a communication mediation framework, this research investigates the underlying mechanisms of how exposure to COVID-19 information on social media affects the willingness to conduct COVID-19 preventive measures in South Korea. A structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis of survey data from 1,209 Korean adults showed that social media exposure indirectly influenced the intention to take preventive actions through interpersonal communication, social media expression and knowledge. The findings also revealed that social media exposure exerted differential effects on the intention to adopt preventive measures depending on the types of reasoning, including interpersonal communication and social media expression. The findings provide important implications for health communication.