MSU faculty’s communication research garners attention during COVID-19 pandemic
by Sam Kealhofer, Intern on the A&S Research Support Team
Mississippi State University’s Department of Communication assistant professor Holli H. Seitz’s communication research has attracted a lot of attention recently.
Seitz’s research focuses on health communication, message effects, media effects, health equity and science communication. Seitz recently co-authored a study entitled “Correcting Misinformation about Neuroscience via Social Media” which examines the role corrective messaging strategies play in dispelling neuroscience myths on social media.
The experiment demonstrated that while exposure to false information can lead to incorrect beliefs, dispelling the incorrect beliefs was possible when subjects were given corrective “related articles” immediately following the false information.
In addition, Seitz is part of a health leadership team led by the MSU Extension Service that received a national award to address mental health challenges regarding opioid misuse in the state’s agricultural communities. The team will deliver prevention-oriented education about drug use in rural communities.
On April 21, Seitz spoke with Mark Albert, Chief National Investigative Correspondent, regarding her insight into the effectiveness of various COVID-19 PSAs. Seitz explained that creating a concrete message and stirring emotions are important in making an announcement memorable.
Later, Seitz spoke with Daniel Vock of “States of Crisis,” a newsletter investigating state governments’ reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, and gave advice to public officials about phrasing PSAs regarding issues such as social distancing and mask wearing. Seitz stressed the importance of creating messages that promote self-efficacy for the audience in order to build confidence in their ability to perform the behavior.
Recently, Seitz has joined a MSU research group assisting the university’s communication with its student body as the campus transitions into its fall semester. In a phone interview, Seitz explained the team has interviewed approximately 20 students and 20 parents about moving forward with the semester amid the pandemic to better understand how to most effectively convey information regarding public health in a campus environment. Seitz hopes to publish the team’s findings in the future.
Whether educating about the harms of opioid misuse or stressing the importance of mask wearing during a pandemic, Seitz believes studying the psychology and behavior of message recipients can lead to making more effective communication campaigns.
In an effort to contribute insight and solutions to the various challenges facing the nation, the College of Arts & Sciences will continue to highlight faculty research in our "Research In The Headlines" series each Monday and Wednesday. For more research in the headlines, visit https://www.cas.msstate.edu/research/researchintheheadlines/; and for information about the College of Arts & Sciences or the Department of Communication visit www.cas.msstate.edu or https://www.comm.msstate.edu/.