ABSTRACT

A pandemic is a unique form of health crisis that requires intensive communicative efforts. In order to achieve positive health outcomes, messages need to be carefully designed. In this context, both message specifics and audience specifics receive consideration. This research tries to scrutinize (1) which message appeal (emotional vs. informative) is perceived more favorable by the Austrian public, (2) which message appeal (emotional vs. informative) leads to a higher degree of message empowerment, and (3) the degree to which message empowerment can be enhanced by (a) message specifics and (b) a combination of message and audience specifics. A quantitative survey with 337 Austrians revealed that the emotional appeal message led to a higher degree of message empowerment than the informative appeal message. Moreover, only message specifics were found to enhance message empowerment. Implications for message design are derived, before limitations and directions for future research are addressed.

摘要

大流行是一种独特的健康危机形式，需要大量的沟通努力。为了实现积极的健康结果，需要仔细设计信息。在这种情况下，信息细节和受众细节都受到考虑。本研究试图仔细检查（1）奥地利公众认为哪种信息吸引力（情感与信息）更受欢迎，（2）哪种信息吸引力（情感与信息）导致更高程度的信息授权，以及（3 ) 通过 (a) 信息细节和 (b) 信息和受众细节的结合可以增强信息授权的程度。一项针对 337 名奥地利人的定量调查显示，情感诉求信息比信息性诉求信息更能带来更高程度的信息赋权。而且，仅发现消息细节以增强消息授权。在解决未来研究的局限性和方向之前，推导出消息设计的含义。