Impact of Risk Perception on Trust in Government and Self-Efficiency During COVID-19 pandemic: Does Social Media Content Help Users Adopt Preventative Measures?
Abstract The public’s actions will likely have a significant effect on the course of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Human behavior is conditioned and shaped by information and perceptions of people. This study investigated the impact of risk perception on trust in government and self-efficacy. It examined whether the use of social media helps people adopt preventative actions during the pandemic. To test this hypothesis, data were gathered from 512 individuals (students and academicians) who were based in Malaysia during COVID-19. Our results suggested that risk perception had a significant effect on trust in government and self-efficacy. Moreover, these correlations were stronger when social media was used as a source for gathering information on COVID-19, and in some cases it even helped the user avoid being exposed to the virus. This study assessed the relationship between risk perception and the awareness gained from using social media during the pandemic and also highlighted how social media usage influences trust in government and self-efficacy.