The effect of narrative persuasion on interpersonal talk and attitude (the case of COVID-19)
ISSN: 1476-9018
Article publication date: 20 October 2023
Issue publication date: 6 December 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of effective public messages has been widely recognized during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In particular, the role of news items and interpersonal conversations for the acceptance of public health measures has been highlighted. The authors propose a conceptual model based on the existing literature on how to measure the degree of persuasion of news narratives in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted a whole population approach, where the unit of analysis was the population of the media news about the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors selected a sample to develop and test their conceptual model. The sample size was n = 248. The questionnaire was distributed online using a non-probability convenience sampling plan. The authors used a pre-post pseudo-experimental design. Respondents answered questions about their attitude toward the COVID-19 pandemic. After watching a narrative news report on the same subject, they then answered questions designed to measure changes in their attitude. A structural equation model, the Sobel test and a paired samples t-test were used to test hypotheses.
Findings
The results showed that there is a significant relationship between narrative with transportation and empathy. There was also a positive and significant relationship between transportation and empathy with attitude and interpersonal talk. The relationship between transportation and self-referencing was also supported. Further, transportation and attitude mediated the relationships between narrative and interpersonal talk, self-referencing as well as empathy. A paired samples t-test revealed that attitudes were changed or reinforced before and after watching the narrative news report.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by identifying the outcomes of narrative persuasion during public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a special section “Exploring the Expansive Horizons of Integrated Care”, guest edited by Dr Axel Kaehne.
Citation
Sharifi, S.M., Jalilvand, M.R. and Shakoorian Fard, M.R. (2023), "The effect of narrative persuasion on interpersonal talk and attitude (the case of COVID-19)", Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 347-374. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-08-2023-0064
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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