Crisis communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does the communication of hope increase people’s willingness to adhere to government measures?

Governments worldwide are faced with unique challenges during the current COVID-19 pandemic. To limit the threats that this virus causes to public safety, governments need to ensure that their citizens follow the measures set out by them. Previous research has shown that information that contains specific types of messages can have an influence on the extent to which people are willing to adhere to government measures. The current study builds on these strategies and theories and investigates the extent to which the communication of either fear or hope has an influence on (1) people’s understanding of COVID-19 related information and (2) people’s willingness to adhere to government measures. In a survey experiment participants read a scenario in which the government issued a statement regarding the measures that they had put in place previously. Results show that the communication of hope increases people’s understanding of COVID-19 related information but does not have an effect on...Show moreGovernments worldwide are faced with unique challenges during the current COVID-19 pandemic. To limit the threats that this virus causes to public safety, governments need to ensure that their citizens follow the measures set out by them. Previous research has shown that information that contains specific types of messages can have an influence on the extent to which people are willing to adhere to government measures. The current study builds on these strategies and theories and investigates the extent to which the communication of either fear or hope has an influence on (1) people’s understanding of COVID-19 related information and (2) people’s willingness to adhere to government measures. In a survey experiment participants read a scenario in which the government issued a statement regarding the measures that they had put in place previously. Results show that the communication of hope increases people’s understanding of COVID-19 related information but does not have an effect on people’s willingness to adhere to government measures. These findings suggest that when governments want to increase people’s understanding of the pandemic situation during future pandemics they need to communicate hopeful messages, but these findings also suggests that more research needs to be done into ways in which actual willingness to adhere to government measures can be increased.Show less

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Crisis communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does the communication of hope increase people’s willingness to adhere to government measures?