Measuring up in a pandemic

Information attention, source credibility, and public evaluation of the government Covid-19 response in mainland China

Bibliographic Data

ID21790164
AuthorsYuanhang Lu (0000-0002-5474-6030, Hong Kong Baptist University), Xi Chen (0000-0002-2058-0351, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China, corresponding author), Yi-Hui Christine Huang (0000-0002-2621-9700, City University of Hong Kong), F Lin (0000-0003-2984-9537, City University of Hong Kong)
Year2024
Volume17
Issue2
Pages170-188
Publication date2024-04-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueChinese Journal of Communication (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1754-4769 • E-ISSN: 1754-4750
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17544750.2023.2238316
OpenAlexW4385223021
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited47

This study examines the interaction effects of attention to COVID-19 information and perceived source credibility on the evaluation of government performance in the Hubei province of mainland China; the study is based on two waves of panel data drawn from a sample of 1896 respondents. The results demonstrated that COVID-19 information attention positively influences the evaluation of both central and local government performance. These direct relationships are contingent on the perceived source credibility of central and local government institutions, but they are not influenced by the perceived credibility of social media sources. More interestingly, there is a negative moderating effect of the perceived credibility of local institution sources on the relationship between COVID-19 information attention and the evaluation of central government performance. This study extends the current research on the impacts of information consumption on political attitudes by integrating various theories or hypotheses (e.g. cognitive media model, attitudinal policy feedback, message persuasion, and informational incongruity)

China · Credibility · Mainland China · Persuasion · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Social media · Sociology · Source credibility · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law · Psychology · Sex work and related issues · Social Psychology