Perceived Information Distortion about COVID-19 Vaccination and Addictive Social Media Use among Social Media Users in Hong Kong: The Moderating Roles of Functional Literacy and Critical Literacy

Luyao Xie, Edmund W. J. Lee, Vivian W. I. Fong, Kam-Hei Hui, Meiqi Xin and Phoenix K. H. Mo
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Luyao Xie: Centre for Health Behaviours Research, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Edmund W. J. Lee: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Vivian W. I. Fong: Centre for Health Behaviours Research, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Kam-Hei Hui: Centre for Health Behaviours Research, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Meiqi Xin: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Phoenix K. H. Mo: Centre for Health Behaviours Research, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, distorted information about the COVID-19 vaccination is widely disseminated through social media. The present study examined the association between perceived information distortion about COVID-19 vaccination on social media, individuals’ functional and critical literacy, and addictive social media use (SMU), as well as the moderating roles of functional and critical literacy in the association between perceived information distortion and addictive SMU among social media users in Hong Kong. A web-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 411 Chinese citizens from June to August 2021. Findings showed that after adjusting for significant background variables, including age, gender, marital status, education, occupation, and income, functional literacy was negatively associated with addictive SMU. In addition, significant moderation effects of functional literacy and critical literacy were also observed, such that a positive association between perceived information distortion on social media and addictive SMU was significant among participants with lower functional literacy or higher critical literacy. Findings highlight the importance of improving functional literacy in addictive SMU prevention for social media users. Special attention should also be paid to the potential influence of critical literacy on addictive SMUs.

Keywords: addictive social media use; perceived information distortion; functional literacy; critical literacy; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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