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1. The impact of rumination on information seeking, depressive symptomology, and protective actions in response to COVID-19

   Lachlan, Kenneth A.; Hutter, Emily; Gilbert, Christine; Spence, Patric R. (June 2023, Journal of emergency management)

   Waugh, William (Ed.)

   A lengthy history of research in the crisis communication literature has documented sex differences in information needs and responses. Response Styles Theory is introduced as a potential explanatory mechanism for these findings, which may be attributable to differences in rumination tendency. A representative survey of over 5000 US residents explored information seeking and risk perceptions regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Results support the argument that previously observed sex differences may be accounted for rumination, and rumination is predictive of specific (but not general) risk estimation. Rumination may also drive information seeking and subsequent depressive symptoms, especially among men. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for risk and crisis communicators, and our consideration of gender norms and their impact on risk message processing 

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2. Frozen while I scan: Examining the impact of media dependencies, socioeconomic status and rumination on preparation behaviours related to Hurricane Dorian

   https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12362  

   Lachlan, Kenneth A.; Gilbert, Christine; Spence, Patric R.; Hutter, Emily (May 2021, Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management)

   null (Ed.)

   Building on previous crisis and risk literature, this study investigates media dependencies, information seeking, preparation behaviors and rumination tendencies among individuals living on the Atlantic seaboard who were impacted by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Consistent with previous work, participants continue to perceive television, a legacy media, as the most important source of information—both initially and throughout the event. This study also analyzed the extent to which information seeking, preparation behaviors and rumination tendencies may be related, drawing from recent work that has suggested that rumination tendencies may help explain sex differences in information seeking. Results suggested that those with higher rumination tendencies were more likely to perceive all sources of information as very important, with the exception of television, which was heavily relied upon by most participants. Rumination tendencies did not explain the variance in any of the three preparation behaviors examined. Overall, most participants had an emergency kit and an evacuation plan in place, while socioeconomic status positively predicted home preparation. 

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3. Exploring sex differences in information needs, media dependencies, and attention allocation during Hurricane Dorian

   https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0652  

   Lachlan, PhD; Spence, PhD; Hutter, MA; Gilbert, MA (September 2021, Journal of Emergency Management)

   In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas and the southeast United States, resulting in widespread damage and loss of life. Drawing from previous crisis communication research on both natural and man-made disasters, this study examines information seeking and medium preferences, attention allocation, and sex differences in these outcomes. Extant literature has found differences between men and women in terms of the volume and types of information wanted during a crisis event, as well as preferences for different media in times of crisis. This literature has yet to examine the degree to which attention allocation may be related to these outcomes. To address these issues in a naturalistic context, a large-scale survey was targeted at residents of states impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Results are consistent with previous research indicating that females engaged in more overall information seeking and sought more information seeking related to tangible goals. Females found interactive media (Internet and social media) to be more useful than males. Evidence was not detected concerning sex differences in the way people found out about the storm and sex differences in attention allocation detected. Results suggested small effects for perceived usefulness of television and Internet on attention allocation for both men and women. Implications for emergency management personnel and public officials are discussed. 

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4. Looking beyond the television: Variability in information seeking patterns and mitigation behaviors during Hurricane Ian

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdisas.2024.100336  

   Lachlan, Kenneth A; DiCairano, James; Spence, Patric R (October 2024, Progress in Disaster Science)

   Recent research in crisis and risk communication has examined information seeking preferences across varying audiences in the time leading up to natural disasters. Such an understanding is critical for targeting risk information messages such that they will have the maximum intended impact on those seeking to take protective actions. Until recently, these studies have largely ignored the relative importance of mediated sources alongside community groups and other grassroots organizations. To that end, the current study surveyed 1030 Florida residents in the aftermath of 2022’s Hurricane Ian in the United States. In addition to replicating past findings concerning media preferences across the demographic spectrum, the current study offers evidence that marginalized and at-risk communities may be especially reliant on community resources for information about protective actions concerning an environmental hazard. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for crisis communication researchers and emergency managers alike. 

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5. COVID-19 Echo Chambers: Examining the Impact of Conservative and Liberal News Sources on Risk Perception and Response

   https://doi.org/10.1089/hs.2020.0176  

   Lachlan, Kenneth A.; Hutter, Emily; Gilbert, Christine (January 2021, Health Security)

   null (Ed.)

   The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created substantial challenges for public health officials who must communicate pandemic-related risks and recommendations to the public. Their efforts have been further hampered by the politicization of the pandemic, including media outlets that question the seriousness and necessity of protective actions. The availability of highly politicized news from online platforms has led to concerns about the notion of ‘‘echo chambers,’’ whereby users are exposed only to information that conforms to and reinforces their existing beliefs. Using a sample of 5,000 US residents, we explored their information-seeking tendencies, reliance on conservative and liberal online media, risk perceptions, and mitigation behaviors. The results of our study suggest that risk perceptions may vary across preferences for conservative or liberal bias; however, our results do not support differences in the mitigation behavior across patterns of media use. Further, our findings do not support the notion of echo chambers, but rather suggest that people with lower information-seeking behavior may be more strongly influenced by politicized COVID-19 news. Risk estimates converge at higher levels of information seeking, suggesting that high information seekers consume news from sources across the political spectrum. These results are discussed in terms of their theoretical implications for the study of online echo chambers and their practical implications for public health officials and emergency managers. 

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