A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
A question of trust : Exploring trust concepts, experiences, and early observations from Europe (2023)

Valentini, C., Ihlen, Ø., & Tench, R. (2023). A question of trust : Exploring trust concepts, experiences, and early observations from Europe. In R. Tench, J. Meng, & Á. Moreno (Eds.), Strategic Communication in a Global Crisis : National and International Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic (pp. 15-31). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003184669-4

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Valentini, Chiara; Ihlen, Øyvind; Tench, Ralph

Parent publication: Strategic Communication in a Global Crisis : National and International Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Parent publication editors: Tench, Ralph; Meng, Juan; Moreno, Ángeles

ISBN: 978-1-03-202695-4

eISBN: 978-1-003-18466-9

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 20/10/2022

Pages range: 15-31

Number of pages in the book: 390

Publisher: Routledge

Place of Publication: London

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003184669-4

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access:

Abstract

In times of global crises, such as those that originated from novel infectious diseases, people lack knowledge to understand how to cope with them. Because of potential life-threatening situations caused by these diseases, people will start seeking information to increase their knowledge on the matter and improve the quality of their decisions. Not all information is equally credible. Why, then, do people gauge some sources of information as more credible than others? Research shows that it all depends on one key factor: trust. Trust is an essential coping mechanism people use when they lack sufficient information or expertise to make an objective decision such as following health recommendations. In health crises, it has been repeatedly shown that trust in the source of risk information highly influences people’s willingness to follow public health rules and guidelines. This chapter seeks to clarify the concept of trust and the mechanisms as well as outcomes it produces. As trust is attributable to relationships at all levels of society, within and among social groups, this chapter structures the discussion of trust focussing on the micro, meso and macro levels and offers some illustrative examples from Europe of its relevance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that are both translatable and applicable in different geographical contexts as well as forms and types of crisis.

Keywords: communication; crisis communication; pandemics; COVID-19; trust; health protection; communicable diseases; communication (information exchange); information sources

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Preliminary JUFO rating: 3