The Effect of Newspaper Reading and Social Media Use on Individuals' Tendency to Behave Protecting From COVID-19

In this project, it is aimed to examine the factors that may affect individuals' tendencies to protect themselves from COVID-19. Within the scope of the project, the relationship between the use of information/content resources about COVID-19 and risk perceptions related to COVID-19, self-efficacy perceptions related to protection from COVID-19, and behaviors towards protection from COVID-19 were examined. In the online surveys conducted in five different periods between August and December 2020, socio-economic indicators, personality traits, news/information sources used by individuals to follow news about coronavirus, risk perceptions related to coronavirus and measures taken to protect from coronavirus were focused on. At the same time, the content of the news in national newspapers and the posts about COVID-19 on the social media platform Twitter were analyzed in order to follow the agenda at the time the survey data was collected. It is observed that getting information about coronavirus from media sources has a positive relationship with the risk perception of COVID-19 and the tendency to engage in protective behaviors. Other factors that are consistently associated with the tendency to take preventive measures are individuals' beliefs that the disease will be severe if they get COVID-19, and their self-efficacy perceptions that they can take necessary precautions. There appears to be a gender difference in terms of both risk perceptions and protective behaviors: women are more likely to engage in protective behavior than men. Finally, it is observed that content focusing on long-term results and solutions may increase the tendency to take precautions. Mask wearing rates are high. Despite the importance of reminders to wear a mask, it would be beneficial for effectiveness for communication campaigns to highlight other protection methods in this period. The fact that COVID-19 has affected people's lives for a long time has created both precautionary and information fatigue in individuals. In this context, communication about coronavirus risk needs to be supported with positive expectations for the future and content that increases self-efficacy. The data obtained from this study show that in cases where vaccine studies are not conducted in a transparent process, the spread of conspiracy theories may hinder the vaccination campaign by reducing confidence in the vaccine. Being transparent about the effectiveness of the vaccine is essential to the long-term success of the campaign.