The Effects of Responsibility Frames and Stigmatizing Headlines in News on Support for COVID-19 Policies in Korea: The Mediating Roles of Responsibility Attribution and Emotions

Abstract

This study examined the mechanisms through which responsibility frames and stigmatizing headlines influence support for governmental policies to address the pandemic. Based on a factorial design experiment, we examined the effects of 2 responsibility frames (individual vs. societal responsibility) and 4 headline types (non-stigmatized vs. name-stigmatized vs. characteristic-stigmatized vs. both-stigmatized). The results showed that the individual responsibility frame increased individual attribution of responsibility for the cause and spread of COVID-19 whereas reducing societal attribution of responsibility, compared to the societal responsibility frame. The headline that detailed both the stigmatized characteristic and name increased individual attribution of responsibility compared to the non-stigmatized headline. Furthermore, the effects of frames and headline types on policy support were sequentially mediated by attribution of responsibility and emotions. Individual attribution of responsibility led to anger whereas societal attribution of responsibility led to sympathy. Subsequently, anger increased support for punitive polices while sympathy increased support for assistive policies. This study contributes to the literature on news framing of pandemics by integrating cognitive and emotional mechanisms in forming policy attitudes.