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Third-person effects of health news: Exploring the relationships among media exposure, presumed media influence, and behavioral intentions

  • Ran Wei*
  • , Ven Hwei Lo
  • , Hung Yi Lu
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

76 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study expands third-person effect research to health news coverage. It examines the perceptual and behavioral components of third-person effects. Moderator variables of third-person effects-knowledge and exposure to health news-are also examined. Using data from a survey of public opinion about the coverage of avian flu involving a probability sample of 1,107 college students in Taiwan, findings show that respondents tend to think the influence of avian flu news on others is greater than on themselves. Furthermore, exposure to avian flu news was found to narrow the self-other perceptual gap. Regarding the linkages between the third-person perception of avian news and behavioral responses to the perception, findings show that perceived effects of avian flu news on the self resulted in taking action-seeking information about avian flu and seeking out Tamiflu. However, findings further show that the third-person perception acted like a brake on taking such action.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)261-277
Number of pages17
JournalAmerican Behavioral Scientist
Volume52
Issue number2
Early online date29 Jul 2008
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2008

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

User-Defined Keywords

  • Avian flu
  • Health news
  • Information seeking
  • Third-person effects

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