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In the context of the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak in South Korea, this study examines the multifaceted effects of media use considering the current complex media environment. Analysis of a two-wave online panel survey found that traditional media use had a positive influence on MERS knowledge while social media use did not. However, knowledge did not facilitate preventive behaviors. In contrast, negative emotional responses due to media use stimulated desirable behaviors. Furthermore, social media use directly influenced behavioral responses but traditional media use did not show the same effects. Different functions of traditional and social media during an epidemic are discussed.

The present study examines if Facebooking can contribute to psychological well-being and if so, which aspects of Facebook use could play a significant role. Matching crawled data with self-reported datamotivation, and social network services (SNSs), such as Facebook, seem to provide a handy way to satisfy this basic human need. Then, is this social networking related to gratifying social relationships and psychological well-being? We attempted to answer this question by examining how Facebook users actually interact with their Facebook friends. Specifically, we focused on the number of Facebook interactions Facebook users has with their friends and the speed of friends' feedback to a Facebook user's post. We propose that more social interactions and faster responses from friends could be key aspects of understanding positive role of Facebook use in psychological well-being. We also investigate whether individual differences in sensitivity to other's behaviors and feelings (i.e., interpersonal awareness tendency) play a moderating role in the proposed relationships.To accomplish the aforementioned goals, we use two sets of data: crawled and self-reported data. First, we crawled study participants' one-month period of Facebook activities. As an unobtrusive and objective measure, crawled data could provide the reports about the number of Facebook interactions (e.g., number of comments to their posts) and each of their time stamps during the month prior to the study. Second, we conducted an online survey to measure participants' perceived social support and loneliness. Matching the two data sets allowed us to examine the relationship between Facebook use and psychological well-being.

This study applies the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model to examine how information processing influences individuals’ support for climate change mitigation policy. Perceived issue salience, attitude toward climate information, and systematic processing are positively related to policy support, whereas heuristic processing is not a significant predictor. The direct and indirect relationships illustrated in the model help expand the utility of the risk information seeking and processing model to address policy support. From an applied perspective, this study suggests important pathways to encourage systematic processing of information related to climate change, which may lead to increased public support for mitigation policies.