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COVID-19 News Exposure and Vaccinations: A Moderated Mediation of Digital News Literacy Behavior and Vaccine Misperceptions

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  • Yuanyuan Wu

    (Department of Communications and New Media, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117416, Singapore)

  • Ozan Kuru

    (Department of Communications and New Media, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117416, Singapore)

  • Dam Hee Kim

    (Department of Communication, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Seongcheol Kim

    (School of Media and Communication, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

Being exposed to and believing in misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines is a challenge for vaccine acceptance. Yet, how countervailing factors such as news literacy could complicate “the information exposure—belief in vaccine misinformation—vaccination” path needs to be unpacked to understand the communication of scientific information about COVID-19. This study examines (1) the mediating role of belief in vaccine misinformation between COVID-19 information exposure and vaccination behavior and (2) the moderating role of news literacy behaviors. We examine these relationships by collecting data in two distinct societies: the United States and South Korea. We conducted online surveys in June and September 2021 respectively for each country ( N = 1336 [the U.S.]; N = 550 [South Korea]). Our results showed a significant moderated mediation model, in which the association between digital media reliance and COVID-19 vaccination was mediated through vaccine misperceptions, and the relationship between digital media reliance and misinformed belief was further moderated by news literacy behavior. Unexpectedly, we found that individuals with stronger news literacy behavior were more susceptible to misinformation belief. This study contributes to the extant literature on the communication of COVID-19 science through probing into the mediating role of belief in vaccine-related misinformation and the moderating role of news literacy behavior in relation to COVID-19 information exposure and vaccination behaviors. It also reflects the concept of news literacy behavior and discusses how it could be further refined to exert its positive impact in correcting misinformation beliefs.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuanyuan Wu & Ozan Kuru & Dam Hee Kim & Seongcheol Kim, 2023. "COVID-19 News Exposure and Vaccinations: A Moderated Mediation of Digital News Literacy Behavior and Vaccine Misperceptions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-29, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:1:p:891-:d:1024257
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pang, Hua & Liu, Jun & Lu, Jiahui, 2022. "Tackling fake news in socially mediated public spheres: A comparison of Weibo and WeChat," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    2. Miller, E.A. & Pole, A., 2010. "Diagnosis blog: Checking up on health blogs in the blogosphere," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(8), pages 1514-1519.
    3. Brendan Nyhan, 2020. "Facts and Myths about Misperceptions," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(3), pages 220-236, Summer.
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    Cited by:

    1. Angelika Bernsteiner & Thomas Schubatzky & Claudia Haagen-Schützenhöfer, 2023. "Misinformation as a Societal Problem in Times of Crisis: A Mixed-Methods Study with Future Teachers to Promote a Critical Attitude towards Information," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-22, May.

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