The Effects of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Selective Exposure: Evidence from 17 Countries
Résumé
A widely believed claim is that citizens tend to selectively expose
themselves to like-minded information. However, when individuals
find the information useful, they are more likely to consume crosscutting
sources. While crises such as terror attacks and pandemics can
enhance the utility of cross-cutting information, empirical evidence on
the role of real-world external threats in selective exposure is scarce.
This paper examines the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study to test
the extent to which citizens were exposed to information from crosscutting
sources on traditional and social media after the outbreak.
Utilizing a two-wave panel survey among 14,218 participants across
17 countries – conducted before and after the initial outbreak – we
show that citizens concerned about COVID-19 were more exposed to
cross-cutting information on traditional and social media. The positive
relationship with cross-cutting exposure to traditional news was stronger
in countries where governments adopted less stringent policy
responses, and in countries with greater pandemic severity and
weaker democratic institutions. Our comparative approach thus
sheds light on the social and political contexts in which cross-cutting
exposure can occur.
Domaines
Science politique
Fichier principal
PC_Zoizner et al., 2022 - The Effects of the COVID 19 Outbreak on Selective Exposure.pdf (1002.42 Ko)
Télécharger le fichier
Origine | Publication financée par une institution |
---|