Alina Bârgăoanu, Nicoleta Corbu, Raluca Buturoiu and Flavia Durach
The paper discusses the predictors of trust in the institutions and people involved in crisis management at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania. Trust in…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper discusses the predictors of trust in the institutions and people involved in crisis management at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania. Trust in institutions might be a key factor in the way countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic deal with the crisis as people might be more willing to accept the restrictions and rules imposed if they trust the key institutions and people involved in managing the pandemic. The paper provides recommendations for key stakeholders to increase trust in people and institutions in times of crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw evidence from a national online panel survey (N = 1,160) to investigate the main predictors of trust in this context.
Findings
The main results indicate that trust in institutions is positively correlated with news consumption and personal discussions about the pandemic, perceived incidence of COVID-19 fake news, belief in conspiracy theories and uncertainty about the future of the country.
Originality/value
To the best of the knowledge, this study is one of the few papers investigating the predictors of trust in the institutions and people involved in managing the current pandemic in a country in the Central and Eastern European region.
Details
Keywords
Raluca Buturoiu, Loredana Vladu, Flavia Durach and Alexandru Dumitrache
The present study aims to unveil the main predictors of perceived media influence (the third-person effect (TPE)) on people's opinions towards COVID-19 vaccination. While the TPE…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to unveil the main predictors of perceived media influence (the third-person effect (TPE)) on people's opinions towards COVID-19 vaccination. While the TPE has been researched before in medical contexts, predictors of TPE on the topic of vaccination against COVID-19 are understudied.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a national survey using an online panel (N = 945) representative for the online population of Romania aged 18 or higher; data were collected during 1–9 April 2021.
Findings
Results indicate that people perceive both close and distant others to be more influenced by media information related to COVID-19 vaccination topics. TPE perception is correlated with belief in conspiracy theories about vaccines/vaccination, perceived incidence of fake news about COVID-19 vaccines/vaccination, perceived usefulness of social networking sites and critical thinking.
Originality/value
Results from this study might explain the success rate of some communication strategies employed with the help of the media. Key findings could be used as starting points for understanding the profile of those who underestimate the media's impact on themselves with respect to COVID-19 immunization and for designing more successful media strategies.