Exploring Conceptualizations of COVID-19 Risk in Ideologically Distinct Online Communities: A Computational Grounded Theory Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on societies and economies around the globe, and experts warn about the potential for similar crises in the future. Risk communication theories underscore that while the potential for harm is objective, risk perception is a subjective, socially derived interpretation. While there is broad literature on the social construction of risk, fewer studies examine the role of communities-online or offline-in developing and reinforcing distinct interpretations of the same risk event. During COVID-19, online communities emerged as individuals sought to make sense of the ongoing crisis. These communities offer an opportunity to gain important insights into how concerned public collectively interprets risk and create group identities,

SUBMITTER: Adekunle TB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12238777 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature