Exploring factors predicting scientists' intentions to participate in crisis communication during the Covid-19 pandemic
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22093054 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Li Li (0000-0001-9700-9682, Soochow University), Lechen Li (0009-0008-3304-4030, Soochow University), Ruifen Zhang (0000-0003-1683-7844, Soochow University), Hepeng Jia (0000-0001-8681-394X, Soochow University), Xi Luo (0000-0003-3393-1154, Soochow University), Zheng Yang (0000-0003-4275-0590, Soochow University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-29 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2297-900X • E-ISSN: 2297-900X |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fcomm.2026.1759720 |
| OpenAlex | W7162788554 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
Background During science and health-related emergencies, scientists' public communication plays a pivotal role in encouraging protective behaviors, combating misinformation, and reducing public anxiety. Despite this importance, limited research has explored scientists' intentions to engage in emergency communication and the factors that influence such engagement. Method This study uses the early COVID-19 outbreak in China (February 2020) as a case to examine Chinese scientists' intentions to communicate with the public during crises. We administered an online survey to a convenience sample of 758 China-based researchers in the natural sciences, engineering, agriculture, and medicine recruited through two WeChat public accounts. The study employed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the core analytical framework, integrating both classical TPB constructs and contextual factors relevant to emergency communication and science communication management in China. Results Regression analyses showed that general attitude toward science communication, subjective and moral norm, perceived behavioral control, and recognition of participation significantly predicted scientists' intentions to participate in COVID-19 emergency communication. Among all factors, past COVID-19 communication behaviors emerged as the strongest predictor, suggesting that initial engagement in crisis communication increases the likelihood of continued participation. Surprisingly, self-reported science communication training experience negatively predicted intention, possibly due to the unfriendly public opinion environment in China during the early stage of the pandemic outbreak. Conclusion This study highlights that cognitive and normative drivers underlying routine science communication also apply in crisis contexts. However, structural dependencies in the Chinese context such as organizational reliance may alter the impact of perceived preparedness
China · Crisis communication · Health communication · Normative · Pandemic · Public opinion · Science communication · Theory of planned behavior · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Risk Perception and Management
Science Communication Practice in China
Robust Statistics
Scientists’ Prioritization of Communication Objectives for Public Engagement
Residual Effects of Past on Later Behavior
Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication as an Integrative Model
Interactions with the Mass Media
Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies
Best Practices in Crisis Communication
The theory of planned behavior
Common method biases in behavioral research
Constructing validity
Perceived Behavioral Control, Self‐Efficacy, Locus of Control, and the Theory of Planned Behavior 1
Cyber violence caused by the disclosure of route information during the Covid-19 pandemic
Science journalism in pandemic times
Science communication under pressure
Scientists’ views about communication objectives
The mobilization of scientists for public engagement
Unbalanced progress
Media attention to GM food cases
More engagement but less participation
Predicting scientists’ participation in public life
The Determinants of Trust and Credibility in Environmental Risk Communication
How scientists view the public, the media and the political process
Communicating with the public during health crises
What Factors Predict Scientists' Intentions to Participate in Public Engagement of Science Activities
Toward a Model of Scientists’ Public Communication Activity
Amusing ourselves to death”
Gender Differences in Scientists’ Public Outreach and Engagement Activities
The Sagan Effect and Scientists’ Public Outreach Participation in China
Incentives and Impediments to Scientists Communicating Through the Media
Understanding Scientists’ Willingness to Engage
Habit and intention in everyday life
| Highly cited | No |
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