Understanding public opinion change of HPV vaccination controversy
Autor: | Sojung Claire Kim, Timothy K. F. Fung, Kang Namkoong, Albert C. Gunther, Kwangjun Heo |
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Rok vydání: | 2018 |
Předmět: |
medicine.medical_specialty
Sobel test business.industry media_common.quotation_subject Public health 05 social sciences Multilevel model Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health 050801 communication & media studies 050109 social psychology Public opinion Social issues Education Exemplification 0508 media and communications Originality medicine 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences Attitude change business Psychology Social psychology media_common |
Zdroj: | Health Education. 118:402-412 |
ISSN: | 0965-4283 |
Popis: | Purpose Although Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in the USA, much controversy exists with respect to HPV vaccination, especially among parents of adolescents. Previous research has shown that exemplars in the media influence public opinion estimates about controversial social issues. However, little is known about the underlying psychological processes of how exemplars influence public opinion formation. The purpose of this paper is to systematically explore such psychological processes based on the projection theory. To this end, the important yet controversial public health issue, the mandatory HPV vaccination, was chosen. Design/methodology/approach A two-factor (exemplar vs proportion), between-subject experiment was conducted using online newspaper articles as main stimuli. A total of 138 participants completed the study. The analytical framework comprised the Sobel test with the Bootstrap method and a series of Ordinary Least Square hierarchical regression analyses. Findings The higher the proportion of exemplars against the HPV vaccination in a news article was, the greater the number of individuals who became opposed to it was. And the high personal opposition translated into negative public opinion change estimation. Originality/value The findings indicate that news exemplars may influence individuals’ personal opinion formation, and, in turn, contribute to their estimations of future public opinion climate, as suggested by the projection theory. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications for journalists, health educators and policy makers are discussed. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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