Going the Distance for COVID-19: Relationships Among News Use, Psychological Distance, Risk Perceptions, and Behavioral Intentions

Abstract

In this article, we examine the relationship between news media use and levels of psychological distance associated with COVID-19. Our findings suggest that conservative media use is associated with greater perceived distance to the disease, while less partisan news use is associated with a smaller perceived distance. Moreover, perceived distance is associated with perceived severity of COVID-19, the perceived susceptibility associated with the disease, and intentions to get vaccinated/boosted against COVID-19. As a whole, we examined a mediation process through which media use predicts distance, distance then predicts severity and susceptibility, and distance, severity, and susceptibility predict behavioral intentions.

Influencing optimistic bias: Moderating roles of perceived severity and proximity

“…This is empirically evidenced by other research that studied the two constructs separately in the same studies (e.g., Hmielowski et al, 2023). For instance, Hmielowski et al (2023) reported that psychological distance (in their term) is associated with perceived susceptibility in the context of COVID‐19.…”

“…This is empirically evidenced by other research that studied the two constructs separately in the same studies (e.g., Hmielowski et al, 2023). For instance, Hmielowski et al (2023) reported that psychological distance (in their term) is associated with perceived susceptibility in the context of COVID‐19. Similarly, Yang and Dong (2024) showed that psychological distance influences one's perceived susceptibility, which was measured as a dimension of risk perception.…”

“…The appraisal of proximity is a more general evaluation of a disease compared to the appraisal of susceptibility. Indeed, Hmielowski et al (2023) showed that perceived distance to COVID-19 is associated with news media use. However, the appraisal of susceptibility is more individualistic.…”