Myoung-Gi Chon

Scholars and campaign strategists have long suggested that celebrity endorsements can raise public awareness and influence political outcomes by shaping perceptions and encouraging civic engagement...

This study tests the Integrative Model of Activism (IMA) developed by Chon and Park (2020) in the context of the refugee issue in Türkiye and extends the theoretical framework by incorporating the subjective norm variable. Türkiye provides a particularly relevant context for exploring the transitional dynamics between online and offline activism, given the persistence of strong social belonging and the increasing visibility of political engagement on digital platforms. This study is based on data collected through an online survey of university students ( N = 638) and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results demonstrate that problem recognition and involvement recognition significantly increase situational motivation, whereas constraint recognition exerts a negative influence. Situational motivation was found to increase social media activism but did not directly affect offline activism. Additionally, perceptions of affective injustice and subjective norms were found to directly and significantly impact both social media and offline activism. In addition, social media self-efficacy emerged as a strong predictor of social media activism. Social media activism significantly predicts offline activism, mediating the relationship between situational motivation and offline activism. The model’s goodness-of-fit indices indicate an acceptable level of fit (e.g., CFI = 0.933; RMSEA = 0.052). These findings reveal that social media activism can trigger online participation as well as offline political action. The study presents implications for policymakers and civil society actors in developing strategies for digital citizenship, political communication, and social cohesion.

The purpose of this study was to propose a theoretical model to predict government compliance on COVID-19 vaccination targeting Millennials and Generation Z (generation MZ) by expanding the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) model with government trust in the COVID-19 pandemic. The presented model found that situational motivation in problem solving on COVID-19 vaccines and active communicative action in problem solving (i.e. information seeking, forfending and forwarding on vaccines) increased government compliance. In addition, public trust in government was a critical factor in generation MZ being active in following government instructions on the COVID-19 vaccine. As a post hoc analysis, results of indirect effect revealed that generation MZ is less likely to follow government instructions when their communicative behaviors are increased. Theoretical and practical implications are as follows. Focusing on young adults (i.e. generation MZ) in South Korea, a pairing of two groups – Millennials (born 1981–1995) and Generation Z (born 1996–2005) (N = 1,200) – this study applied the STOPS and trust in government to predict when and how the younger generation complies with government instructions regarding COVID-19 vaccination. The results of this study showed that people were motivated to employ active communication behaviors to seek, forfend and forward information related to COVID-19. In addition, we found that situational motivation in problem solving, active communication behaviors and government trust were positively associated with government compliance regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Many countries around the world have faced extraordinary challenges in the effort to effectively slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and maintain national sustainability since the emergence of COVID-19. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, governments have asked their citizens to follow health instructions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is known that vaccination can lower an individual’s risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. Despite the amount of research on COVID-19, few scholars have studied younger generations and their preventive behaviors, including the following of government instructions (i.e. government compliance).

Purpose: This study aims to propose a theoretical framework for public segmentation to identify various publics and conceptualize an activist public concerned with environmental issues, focusing specifically on the issue of climate change. Design/methodology/approach: By incorporating the summation method of public segmentation from strategic communication research and levels of anger, this study identifies four types of environmental publics, using a survey with 585 people in the United States of America. Findings: This study identifies four distinct environmental publics in relation to the climate change issue: (1) activist public (high activeness/high anger), (2) active-calm public (high activeness/low anger), (3) inactive-angry public (low activeness/high anger) and (4) unconcerned public (low activeness/low anger). This study explores the relationships between four environmental publics and their information seeking on climate change and engagement in environmental activism, both online and offline. Originality/value: The study provides a segmentation framework for conceptualizing environmental publics and examines the relationships between environmental publics and their information seeking and activism behaviors. It contributes to existing segmentation literature by providing a new framework that can be used in segmenting publics. Also, the findings help practitioners strategically manage communication with different publics.

Background: Frailty is prevalent in older adults and represents a dynamic condition that can improve with early detection and interventions focused on influencing factors. Older immigrant populations, marked by diverse cultural backgrounds, distinct health beliefs and behaviors, language barriers, and low health literacy, require a focused exploration of factors influencing frailty. This study examines the perceived factors affecting frailty among older Korean American immigrants (OKAIs). Methods: A focus group interview was conducted with nine OKAIs (five frail/prefrail and four robust) in Alabama, supplemented by demographic and health-related surveys. Semi-structured questions addressed health literacy, physical activity, nutrition, and mental health. Data analysis included both descriptive and content analysis methods. Results: Participants displayed notable differences in health literacy scores between Korean and English assessments. Content analysis highlighted that social activities, health behaviors, and healthcare utilization for OKAIs were shaped by distinct environmental and healthcare contexts compared to those in Korea. Limited English proficiency and access to healthcare resources further influenced their experiences. Participants expressed a preference for Korean healthcare providers, interpreters, and traditional food options to maintain well-being. Conclusion: Interventions aimed at preventing and managing frailty among OKAIs should consider their unique characteristics and challenges to improve effectiveness.