Communication Arts: Faculty Publications

Effect of health news consumption on unrealistic optimism toward cancer risk

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Publication Title

American Communication Journal

Abstract

There have been many studies examining unrealistic optimism and its predictors. However, few studies investigated how health information consumption and communication channels are related with unrealistic optimism. The present study extended discussion of unrealistic optimism to include media use variables such as health news consumption and health information seeking. The study found that experience, perceived control, unhealthy behavior, and demographic variables such as age and gender were associated with unrealistic optimism. Furthermore, while information seeking was negatively associated with unrealistic optimism, health news consumption was found to be positively associated with unrealistic optimism, which is contrary to the generally perceived efficacy of health news coverage. The third-person effect was suggested as a potential explanation of this finding.

Comments

Georgia Southern University faculty member, Beom Jun Bae, authored, "Effect of health news consumption on unrealistic optimism toward cancer risk."

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