Emotions, Risk Perception and Preventive Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Media Use

Abstract

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, media consumption has begun playing a more significant role in shaping public perceptions and well-being. The current study examines the effects of risk perception, economic situation, and negative emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic on preventive behaviors, while focusing on the mediating role of media exposure levels. An online survey was conducted during the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 in Israel. SEM analysis results show that during the pandemic, media exposure increased with negative emotions levels, increased with higher exposure to the pandemic and increased as the economic impact of the pandemic increased. In addition, preventive behavior increased with media exposure. Moreover, the media exposure variable was found to mediate the effect of negative emotions and of the perceived risk of being infected with coronavirus on preventive behavior. Implications for government policy are discussed.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• emotions
• media
• preventive behavior
• risk perception