Journal Articles

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915

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    A Longitudinal Analysis of Handwashing and Mask-Wearing during COVID-19
    (Frontiers Media, 29/06/2021) Croucher S; Ashwell D; Murray N; Condon SM; Fletcher P
    The COVID-19 pandemic has seen health preventive behaviors to prevent spread of the virus become highly politicized in the United States. A clear division exists between Democrats favoring health preventive measures and Republicans often defying such measures. Amid increasing fear of the virus, the 2020 United States presidential election became central to how the pandemic should be managed. This longitudinal study examines whether the frequency of handwashing and mask-wearing changed after the United States election. The study further explores whether political partisanship played a part in the change. Results show that handwashing and mask-wearing increased among Democrats after the election. However, Republican’s use of masks and handwashing decreased. These results are explained in terms of loyalty to outgoing President Trump among Republicans and renewed feelings of efficacy among Democrats.
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    Testing times: Communicating the role and uncertainty of analytical procedures in a food safety crisis
    (Public Relations Institute of Australia, 17/06/2019) Galloway C; Ashwell D; Croucher S; Diers-Lawson A
    Through a case study analysis, this paper examines how scientific testing was involved in both the triggering and the resolution of the largest food safety scare ever to hit New Zealand. The paper examines the practical applications for communicators dealing with food safety-based risks and discusses how when dealing with crises, they need to take into account lay publics’ biases towards assurances of zero risk. This should be part of determining audiences’ information needs and of calibrating the provision of scientific information, including information about necessary testing, in ways that meet these needs. Doing so will help build trust, including about the scientific method and the organisations applying it to determine not only the nature of a given risk but also to assess how best it might be mitigated. While distrust might surface in a risk-based crisis, communicators should focus on messaging that addresses uncertainty through providing consistent and credible information.