Multi-Faceted Influences on Perceived Messaging Effectiveness: Strategic Communication for Enhancing COVID-19 Risk Mitigation

ABSTRACT

This study examines how situational motivation interacts with self-concept when responding to the different messaging strategies regarding a COVID-19 symptom map (CSM). In an online experiment, participants read either an individual-framed message emphasizing the benefits of CSM in enhancing a sense of control and self-reliance during the pandemic, or a community-framed message highlighting the benefits of CSM in protecting local communities. Findings suggested that self-construal, together with situational motivation, moderated the effects of message frames. This study advances strategic communication research by exploring a multi-faceted approach to understanding public perceptions of messaging frames and expanding cultural consideration to individual-level cultural traits that may go beyond demographics.

Acknowledgments

The findings from this paper are based on the research supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2029569.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ The whole experiment was a 2(Message framing: individual vs. community) × 2(Message format: narrative vs. nonnarrative) × 2(Messenger: city government vs. representative (i.e., the mayor)) between-subjects design. As the latter two factors did not show significant effects on the outcome variables. The data were collapsed.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation [2029569].