The Dynamic Interplay of Negativity in News and Interpersonal Communication in Shaping Beliefs

This article explores the interplay between negativity in news coverage and interpersonal communication in shaping individuals’ beliefs, using the case of the COVID-19 pandemic. While existing research has examined the direct effects of these factors on beliefs, two overlooked key aspects are addressed in this article. First, I investigate how interpersonal communication interacts with the impact of negativity in news on shaping beliefs. Second, building upon media system dependency theory, I accounted for the temporal dynamics of media effects since the pandemic evolved and progressed in phases with shifting societal contexts. By relying on a linkage approach consisting of a five-wave panel survey and a quantitative media content analysis conducted in Sweden, the findings indicate that interpersonal communication serves as an amplifying moderator for exposure to negativity in forming beliefs about the negative societal impact of COVID-19. Furthermore, I find evidence supporting the temporally varying nature of media effects, with the influence of negativity decreasing as the crisis dragged on.