Crisis communication via COVID-19 Chatbots – Effects of communication style on public management objectives

Abstract

Effective communication during public health emergencies is critical to handling a crisis. In uncertain times, those in charge are faced with the challenge of providing citizens with sufficient information on the one hand and avoiding panic reactions on the other hand. Due to the high demand for information, organizations and public administrations are increasingly using chatbots in order to implement their crisis strategies. The present study investigates the effects of a chatbot's communication style on the objectives of crisis management using the example of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the stereotype content model, this study empirically shows that the combination of the goal frame and the use of emojis has an impact on citizens’ responses to chatbot communication. The implications for effective risk communication and limitations are discussed.