Examining users’ emotional responses to YouTube content during the Covid-19 crisis: A cross-country experiment
Abstract This study experimentally investigates people’s emotional responses to different online messages about Covid-19 on YouTube. Participants from the United Kingdom (N = 331), the United States (N = 312), and Greece (N = 306) completed an online experiment. Participants viewed two expert videos: one presenting positive vaccine news, and the other emphasizing the seriousness of COVID-19. After viewing, participants expressed their feelings and reported their level of COVID-related worry. Users reported more endorsement for the video of an expert describing the seriousness of Covid-19. This is the first study using mixed-methods evidence to highlight the importance of involving experts in crisis communication and the buffering effects of positive news amid crises.
Authors
- Elena Constantinou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7493-594X)
- Venetia Papa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6742-5172)
- Iasonas Lamprianou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7637-615X)
Institutions
- Cyprus University of Technology (CY)
- European University Cyprus (CY)
- University of Cyprus (CY)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications
- Published
- 2025-10-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1515/commun-2024-0137
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Misinformation and Its Impacts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.20