Communicating Crisis with Persuasion: Examining Official Twitter Messages on Heat Hazards
Class
Article
College
S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources
Faculty Mentor
Peter Howe
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Official crisis messages need to be persuasive to promote appropriate public responses. However, little research has examined the content of crisis messages from a persuasion perspective, especially for natural hazards. This study deductively identifies five persuasive message factors (PMFs) applicable to natural hazards, including two under-examined health-related PMFs: susceptibility to health impacts and health impacts. Using 2016 heat hazards as a case study, this paper content-analyzes heat-related Twitter messages (N=904) posted by eighteen U.S. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices according to the five PMFs. We find that the use of descriptions of hazard intensity is disproportionately high, with a lack of use of other PMFs. We also describe different types of statements used to signal two health-related PMFs. We conclude with implications and recommendations relevant to practitioners and researchers in social media crisis communication.
Location
Room 204
Start Date
4-12-2018 10:30 AM
End Date
4-12-2018 11:45 AM
Communicating Crisis with Persuasion: Examining Official Twitter Messages on Heat Hazards
Room 204
Official crisis messages need to be persuasive to promote appropriate public responses. However, little research has examined the content of crisis messages from a persuasion perspective, especially for natural hazards. This study deductively identifies five persuasive message factors (PMFs) applicable to natural hazards, including two under-examined health-related PMFs: susceptibility to health impacts and health impacts. Using 2016 heat hazards as a case study, this paper content-analyzes heat-related Twitter messages (N=904) posted by eighteen U.S. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices according to the five PMFs. We find that the use of descriptions of hazard intensity is disproportionately high, with a lack of use of other PMFs. We also describe different types of statements used to signal two health-related PMFs. We conclude with implications and recommendations relevant to practitioners and researchers in social media crisis communication.