Search

Based on the knowledge gap hypothesis as a theoretical framework, the present study examines (a) whether there is an education-based gap in misinformation acceptance, (b) whether the education-based gap could be explained by differences in issue knowledge, information processing, and media dependency, and (c) whether the education-based gap in misinformation acceptance widens as the level of exposure to misinformation increases. We conducted a survey of 821 Korean adults regarding their acceptance of misinformation related to COVID-19 vaccination. First, we found that there was an education-based gap in misinformation acceptance such that those with lower education were more likely to accept misinformation. Second, we found that the effect was mediated by low issue knowledge, less systematic processing, and dependency on social media. Third, the education-based gap in misinformation acceptance widened when misinformation exposure increased. These results are consistent with the knowledge gap hypothesis and the theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.

Based on the Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model, the present study examines whether COVID-19 message fatigue leads to greater information avoidance and heuristic processing, and consequently greater acceptance of misinformation. We conducted a survey of 821 Korean adults regarding their information seeking and processing regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Results of SEM analyses showed that COVID-19 message fatigue was (a) negatively related to information insufficiency and (b) positively related to information avoidance and heuristic processing. Information avoidance and heuristic processing were subsequently related to greater levels of misinformation acceptance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

이 연구의 목적은 성격 특성과 디지털 리터러시와 같은 이용자 특성이 미디어 이용자들의 정보 검색 및 공유 행동을 어떻게 예측할 수 있는지 검증하는데 있다. 이를 위해 20세 이상 60세 이하 성인 698명을 대상으로 설문 조사를 실시하였다. 분석 결과, 외향성은 정보 검색 및 공유 행동 모두에 정적인 영향을 미치는 반면, 신경증은 정보 검색에 한하여 정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 한편 디지털 리터러시는 정보 검색 및 공유에 흥미로운 역할을 하는 것으로 나타났다. 소비 리터러시는 정보 검색의 긍정적인 예측요인인 반면, 생비 리터러시는 정보 공유의 긍정적인 예측 요인으로 나타났다. 이러한 결과를 바탕으로 정보 검색과 공유에 관한 이론과 연구에 대한 함의에 대해 논의하였다.

The key characteristic of native advertising is that it simulates the format of the editorial content. The current study examines how format similarity—the extent to which the format of an advertisement is similar to the format of the editorial content—affects consumers9 responses to the advertisement and whether the effects differ by format novelty, the extent to which the format of the editorial content is novel or familiar to consumers. Results showed that format similarity increased perceived deceptiveness, and format novelty reduced advertising recognition and perceived irritation while inducing greater click intentions. Additionally, there was a significant interaction effect between format similarity and format novelty such that the negative impact of format similarity on perceived irritation was found when format novelty was low but not when format novelty was high. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model posits that information insufficiency could lead to information seeking, and the effect could be moderated by relevant channel beliefs and perceived information gathering capacity. The RISP model is tested in the context of Koreans’ risk information seeking and processing related to toxic chemicals in consumer products. The present study showed that the impact of information insufficiency was moderated by relevant channel beliefs. On the other hand, the impact of information insufficiency was not moderated by perceived information gathering capacity; instead, perceived information gathering capacity had an independent effect on information seeking.

The present study tests and extends the RISP model (a) by applying the model in the context of COVID-19 in South Korea and (b) by examining the impacts of information seeking and processing on misinformation exposure and acceptance. Based on a survey of 346 Korean adults, this study showed that information avoidance, but not information seeking, was a positive predictor of misinformation exposure. In addition, heuristic processing, but not systematic processing, moderated the relationship between misinformation exposure and misinformation acceptance, such that the relationship between misinformation exposure and misinformation acceptance was stronger among those who showed greater tendency for heuristic processing. In addition, information insufficiency was a negative predictor of both information avoidance and heuristic processing. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

User control is a characteristic of a medium, which allows users to control the pace and sequence with which information is presented. This study examined the role of user control in recognition me...

Advertising literacy education can be developed based on three literacy components: content, grammar, and structure literacy. Content literacy refers to an understanding of the content of ads (e.g....

This study examines how brand placement in editorial content ( i.e. , whether a sponsoring brand is mentioned in editorial content) affects consumers9 responses to native advertising and whether the effect is moderated by either high or low quality of editorial content. Results of an experiment showed significant interaction effects between brand placement and content quality. Brand placement had negative effects on source credibility and message attitudes only when the quality of editorial content was low, not when the quality was high.

This study tests how the public’s responsibility judgments and their policy opinions could be affected by different types of attributions made by the media. Study 1 examined three types of attributions regarding smartphone addiction: (a) individualistic (e.g., lack of self-control), (b) societal (e.g., the media industry or government), and (c) none (i.e., control group). Results showed that individualistic attributions by the media did not affect perceived individual responsibility and support for smartphone-addicted children. On the other hand, societal attributions increased perceived industry responsibility, which subsequently increased punishment opinions for the smartphone industry. Study 2 examined three types of attributions regarding childhood obesity (child vs. parent vs. societal) by two types of exemplar formats (“interviews” vs. “user comments”). Consistent with Study 1, results showed that the societal attribution condition resulted in greater perceived industry responsibility and greater pu...

The extant empirical research examining the effectiveness of statistical and exemplar-based health information is largely inconsistent. Under the premise that the inconsistency may be due to an unacknowledged moderator (O'Keefe, 2002), this study examined a moderating role of outcome-relevant involvement (JohnsonEagly, 1989) in the effects of statistical and exemplified risk information on risk perception. Consistent with predictions based on elaboration likelihood model (PettyCacioppo, 1984), findings from an experiment (N = 237) concerning alcohol consumption risks showed that statistical risk information predicted risk perceptions of individuals with high, rather than low, involvement, while exemplified risk information predicted risk perceptions of those with low, rather than high, involvement. Moreover, statistical risk information contributed to negative attitude toward drinking via increased risk perception only for highly involved individuals, while exemplified risk information influenced the attitude through the same mechanism only for individuals with low involvement. Theoretical and practical implications for health risk communication are discussed.

The risk information seeking and processing model predicts information-seeking behavior based on a number of factors, including information insufficiency. Using the risk information seeking and processing model, the present study experimentally manipulated the two components of information insufficiency (i.e., sufficiency threshold and current knowledge). Sufficiency threshold was manipulated using information about radon risk with varying levels of social distance, whereas current knowledge was manipulated using information about radon coping strategies. Results showed that the high sufficiency threshold condition resulted in greater information seeking intention. On the other hand, the current knowledge manipulation did not affect information seeking intention.

Sponsored blog posts need to disclose sponsorship information, specifically whether the blogger received any compensation for the posts. While some bloggers simply include sponsorship information only (i.e., "simple" sponsorship disclosure), others add a note that the opinions in the post are honest although it is a sponsored post (i.e., "honest opinions" sponsorship disclosure). This study examines how emphasizing "honest opinions" in sponsored posts affect consumers' responses. This study found that, compared to the no disclosure (control) condition, source credibility perceptions and message attitudes became negative in the "simple" sponsorship condition. However, the negative effects of sponsorship disclosure on source credibility perceptions and message attitudes disappeared in the "honest opinions" condition. This trend was stronger among those who had high skepticism toward product review blog posts. We examined the effects of sponsorship disclosure in sponsored blog posts.Three types of sponsorship disclosure (no vs. simple vs. honest opinions) were presented."Simple" disclosure had negative effects on persuasion compared to no disclosure and "honest opinions" disclosure.The effects of sponsorship disclosure were stronger among high skepticism individuals.

This study conducted a lab experiment in the US and South Korea to test cross-national differences in response to comparative versus non-comparative Facebook advertising messages. Consistent with prior research, this study found that comparative ads resulted in more positive attitudinal responses among Americans, whereas non-comparative ads resulted in more positive attitudinal responses among Koreans. Results of multiple mediation tests showed that Americans showed more positive responses to a comparative ad message because the message was perceived to be more assertive than a non-comparative ad message, whereas Koreans showed more negative responses to a comparative ad message because the message was perceived to be less considerate than a comparative ad message. This study has important theoretical implications by testing multiple mediators for comparative ad effects; and also has practical implications for cultural adaptation marketing strategies.

Based on a sample of 944 respondents who were recruited from 20 elementary schools in South Korea, this research surveyed the factors that lead to smartphone addiction. This research examined the user characteristics and media content types that can lead to addiction. With regard to user characteristics, results showed that those who have lower self-control and those who have greater stress were more likely to be addicted to smartphones. For media content types, those who use smartphones for SNS, games, and entertainment were more likely to be addicted to smartphones, whereas those who use smartphones for study-related purposes were not. Although both SNS use and game use were positive predictors of smartphone addiction, SNS use was a stronger predictor of smartphone addiction than game use. We examined the predictors of smartphone addiction.Self-control was a negative predictor, whereas stress was a positive predictor.SNS, game use, and entertainment-related use were positive predictors.SNS use was a stronger predictor of smartphone addiction than game use.

Children's addiction to smartphones has become a serious issue, and parental mediation could help prevent children's problematic use of smartphones. This research examined the factors that predict and explain parents' intention to mediate children's behavior over smartphone use. Based on a survey of 460 parents of elementary school students, we found that parental mediation was predicted by (a) parent's own addiction to smartphones, (b) perceived severity of smartphone addiction, and (c) personality traits such as neuroticism, openness, and agreeableness. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to examine the predictors of parental mediation regarding children's smartphone addiction, and the findings suggest some strategies to increase parental mediation.

This research examined the effects of virtual reality (VR) news on knowledge gain and news attitudes. This study found that compared to non-VR news, VR news could have a negative impact on knowledge gain, whereas it could have some positive effect on news attitudes. The positive effect on news attitudes was only found with a more experience-related news topic (i.e., travel sites in Rio de Janeiro), but not with a less experience-related news topic (i.e., new surgical procedure for pancreatic cancer). The positive impact of VR on news attitudes was mediated by presence and subsequent enjoyment.

Parental mediation is a type of behavior that could protect children against the negative uses and effects of smartphones. Based on protection motivation theory, this research (a) predicted parental mediation based on parents' threat and efficacy perceptions and (b) predicted threat and efficacy perceptions based on parenting styles and parents' addiction to smartphone use. An online survey of 448 parents of fourth to sixth graders was conducted. Results showed that both restrictive and active parental mediation were predicted by perceived severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy. With regard to parenting styles, (a) authoritative parenting was positively related to perceived severity as well as response- and self-efficacy, whereas (b) permissive parenting was negatively related to self-efficacy. In addition, parents' addiction was a negative predictor of perceived severity, but a positive predictor of perceived susceptibility.

This study examined whether Internet-based multitasking facilitates information gain by allowing users to seek additional information online. Study 1, using survey data, suggested that TV-Internet multitasking increased information gain, whereas TV-print media multitasking reduced it. In addition, online information seeking mediated the effect of TV-Internet multitasking on information gain. Study 2, using experimental data, confirmed the differential effects of TV-Internet multitasking and TV-print multitasking on information gain. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are further discussed.

Although the inhibiting effects of multitasking can be explained by 2 components, capacity interference (CI) and structural interference (SI), studies that have specifically focused on SI are limited. Thus, the present study examined the effects of SI in persuasion using 2 experimental studies. Results of Study 1 showed that SI (not CI) reduced both comprehension and counterarguing. In addition, results of Study 2 showed that SI effects occur not only in single-channel multitasking but also in dual-channel multitasking, and that SI effects occur not only when content interference is high (language-based multitasking) but also when it is low (non–language-based multitasking). The role of SI in multitasking effects has important implications for research on audience behaviors and persuasive communication.

We examined users' motives for general, medium-specific, and content-specific multitasking.The key motives were information, social, enjoyment, efficiency, and habit.General multitasking was predicted by information, efficiency, and habit.Medium specific and content specific types of multitasking were predicted by various different motives. This study examined the major motives for multitasking, and how those motives are related to general, medium-specific, and content-specific types of multitasking. The major motives for multitasking identified in this study are as follows: information, social, enjoyment, efficiency, and habit. Of these motives, general multitasking behavior was predicted by information, efficiency, and habit. In terms of medium-specific types of multitasking, TV-based multitasking was predicted by habit motive, Internet-based multitasking was predicted by information and enjoyment, and mobile-based multitasking was predicted by information motives. In terms of content-specific multitasking, news-related multitasking was predicted by information motives, entertainment-related multitasking was predicted by information and enjoyment motives, and advertising-related multitasking was predicted by information and social motives.

Although aviation accidents are due to various causes, the media may focus on particular causes, which is likely to contribute to the public's perceptions about aviation accidents. This research examines how the public's prevalence estimates of the causes of aviation accidents can vary when the media provides exemplars of internal causes (pilot error and mechanical failure) and on external causes (weather). The distribution of these exemplars varied between the two experimental messages: internal attribution message and external attribution message. Compared with the external attribution message, the internal attribution message resulted in higher prevalence estimates of internal causes. The internal attribution message had indirect effects on punitive opinions mediated by responsibility judgments. In addition, exemplification effects were observed two weeks after exposure, and the effects were greater among respondents who better recalled the exemplifying information. The results of this study suggest th...

This study examined the effects of multitasking on persuasion, including comprehension andcounterarguingofpersuasivemessages,whichwerepresentedinthreedifferentcontexts: (a) nonmultitasking with full attention paid to the message, (b) multitasking with primary attention paid to the message, and (c) multitasking with secondary attention paid to the message. Consistent with predictions, the results suggested that multitasking reduced the actual and perceived levels of comprehension and also reduced counterarguing. The implications for research on persuasion are further discussed.

This study employs the theory of reasoned action and protection motivation theory to predict American and Korean students’ intentions to engage in behaviors that can help mitigate climate change. The results indicate that one’s attitudes toward the prevention of climate change, perceived severity of climate change, response efficacy, and self-efficacy regarding climate change prevention were significant predictors of one’s intentions to engage in a series of pro-environmental behaviors. In addition, there were few cross-cultural differences. These results suggest that protection motivation theory, together with the theory of reasoned action, is a useful framework for understanding pro-environmental behaviors.

This study examines the role of campaign conversation in the generation and diffusion of campaign effects. Based on Hornik’s social diffusion model of campaign influence, this study tests whether campaign conversation, along with campaign exposure, can be a process through which a campaign affects a person’s health perceptions using secondary analyses of the TruthSM campaign data. The results of a multilevel modeling of the Legacy Media Tracking Survey (LMTS) data ( n = 10,357) show that the effect of the TruthSM campaign activity in the media on individuals’ smoking-related beliefs was conveyed through campaign exposure and campaign conversation. Theoretical and practical implications for campaign planning and evaluation are discussed in this article.

We greatly appreciate Gaziano's invaluable comments1 on our meta-analysis. The comments gave us an opportunity to review our meta-analysis from a fresh perspective.2 In this note, we would like to address issues raised by Gaziano's critique. We first clarify how we tested the knowledge gap hypothesis in our meta-analysis, an issue that seems to have raised the greatest concern. Then, we move on to address additional issues one by one. Finally, we conclude with our perspectives on future knowledge gap research.

Young audiences frequently combine media use (e.g., television viewing) with other activities (e.g., homework); this is referred to as multitasking. This research uses longitudinal data to examine the moderating role of multitasking by examining the effects of exposure to sexual content in the media on adolescents' sexual behavior. Consistent with the predictions based on the limited capacity approach, there was a significant multitasking by exposure interaction suggesting that multitasking reduces the impact of media. More specifically, the effect of exposure to sexual content in the media on sexual behavior was significantly greater among light multitaskers than among heavy multitaskers.

This study examined the effects of multitasking and persuasion knowledge on evaluations of in-game advertising (IGA). Specifically, we examined how the evaluations of IGA vary by: 1) multitasking (i.e., whether one multitasks or not); and 2) persuasion knowledge (i.e., whether one's persuasion knowledge is primed or not). The findings of this study showed significant interactions effects between multitasking and persuasion knowledge priming on ad evaluations. Compared with the non-multitasking condition, multitasking resulted in more negative evaluations of IGA, only when persuasion knowledge was primed. Multitasking did not affect the evaluations of IGA when persuasion knowledge was not primed. Theoretical implications for multitasking effects and practical implications for marketing and ad literacy are discussed.

This knowledge gap meta-analysis examines (a) average effect size of the gap, (b) impact of media publicity, and (c) moderators of the gap. Positive correlation between education and level of knowledge ( r = .28) was found, with no differences in the size of the gap (a) over time and (b) between issues of higher and lower publicity. However, gap magnitude was moderated by topic, setting, knowledge measure, and study design, but not by publication status, country, and sampling method. Relatively smaller gaps were found for (a) health-science topics compared to social-political topics and (b) local/personal issues compared to international issues.

Local television news professionals face audience declines and a rapidly changing information environment. Faced with such circumstances, many have suggested that sensational and entertaining fare might offer a way to bolster viewership. Our data from a national survey of local TV news viewers in the United States (n = 2,728) suggest that view might be incomplete. Although a variety of beliefs about TV news, including those related to how exciting or entertaining the news is, predicted general attitude toward TV news viewing, the most important predictor of such attitude was the extent to which a person found programming to be informative. TV professionals might be wrong about the need to chase audiences with dramatic and entertaining fare, sacrificing substantive reporting in the process.