Date of Award
11-15-2022
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Public Relations
Advisor(s)
Jiang, Hua
Keywords
Adapting Information, Crisis Communication, International Crisis, Psychological Effects, Public Sector
Subject Categories
Communication | International Relations
Abstract
As war in Ukraine rages on and the U.S.-Russia relationship becomes increasingly hostile, the need to better understand public sector communication in times of international crisis is once again rising. For years, the public and private sectors have been treated largely the same in crisis communication research and practice. In the context of international crisis, specifically rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia, this study looks at where these differences lie and what that might mean for future research and practice.
In contribution to this broader topic, this study looks at the influence of domestic stakeholders’ perceptions of the Biden Administration’s adapting information about the crisis on their experience of psychological effects, anger and anxiety. It was also hypothesized that involvement and political ideology would have moderating effects on this relationship. Through a survey of 644 U.S. citizens and residents, adapting information was shown to have a strong positive correlation with psychological effects. The moderation was insignificant; however, both political ideology and involvement correlated significantly to psychological effects. Findings support treating public and private sector organizations differently in research and practice. Further research is suggested for defining more differences and determining best practices for public sector crisis communication.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Shirk, Elisabeth, "Crisis Communication in the Public Sector: Influences on Stakeholders’ Experience of Psychological Effects as U.S.-Russia Tensions Rise" (2022). Theses - ALL. 653.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/653
