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Self-efficacy in the Spreading of COVID-19 Rumors: A SOR Perspective

  • Nankai University
  • Jiangnan University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

This paper explores the development and outcomes of rumor beliefs circulating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework, our study examined how proximity to the pandemic (stimuli) influences anxiety (organism), which determines rumor beliefs and rumor outcomes (response). Further, the contingent roles of social media usage and health self-efficacy were tested. The research model was tested using 1,246 samples via an online survey. The results indicate that: (1) Proximity to the pandemic positively influences anxiety; (2) Anxiety positively influences rumor beliefs, which further positively influences rumor outcomes; (3) Social media usage strengthens the relationship between proximity to the pandemic and anxiety; (4) Health self-efficacy strengthens the effect of anxiety on rumor beliefs and the effect of rumor beliefs on rumor outcomes. This study has significant implications for rumor management during a pandemic and contributes to the literature concerning online rumors, social media, and the SOR model.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, PACIS 2021
EditorsDoug Vogel, Kathy Ning Shen, Pan Shan Ling
PublisherAssociation for Information Systems
ISBN (Print)9781733632577
StatePublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes
Event25th Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, PACIS 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 12 Jul 202114 Jul 2021

Publication series

NamePacific Asia Conference on Information Systems
ISSN (Electronic)2689-6354

Conference

Conference25th Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, PACIS 2021
CityVirtual, Online
Period12/07/2114/07/21

Keywords

  • Online rumor
  • health self-efficacy
  • social media usage
  • stimulus-organism-response framework

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