Social dominance orientation and information seeking about the Monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak

Abstract

Grounded in the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model, this study investigated how individual characteristics and socio-psychological factors influenced Americans’ information seeking about the Monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak. The RISP model proposes that one’s cognitive need for information (i.e. information insufficiency) and desire to fulfill social expectations about their own information level (i.e. informational subjective norms) are key factors that motivate information seeking. Further, risk judgment and affective response contribute to these two primary motivational factors. Based on a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 1000), results indicated that social dominance orientation contributed to information seeking indirectly through risk judgment, information insufficiency, and relevant channel beliefs. These findings suggest that it is important to consider individual attribute such as social dominance orientation when communicating to the public about a public health crisis that affected marginal social groups disproportionately.