"I am Young, Why Should I Vaccinate?" How empathetic and aggressive communication on social media impact young adults' attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

To combat the current COVID-19 pandemic, high vaccination rates are of crucial value. However, young people in particular tend to be hesitant toward vaccination. On social media, young adults are often called to vaccinate in an aggressive tone, arguing that there is no choice than to vaccinate and that all else is wrong.

Methods

In an experimental study (N = 410), we investigated the effects of (a) empathetic vs. aggressive communication styles in social media postings and (b) the origin of the communicator on young adults' supportive attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccinations. We treated the gender of the communicator as a moderator, and expectancy violation, psychological distance as well as the perceived credibility of the communicator as mediators.

Res

SUBMITTER: Kankova J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10587396 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature