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Research Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2690-8808/093
1 Department of Communication, Metropolitan University, CDMX.
*Corresponding Author: Gabriel Pérez Crisanto, Department of Communication, Metropolitan University, CDMX, Mexico.
Citation: Gabriel Pérez Crisanto, Cruz García Lirios, José Alfonso Aguilar Fuentes (2022) Dimensional meta-analysis of trust: implications for covid-19 communication. J. Clin Case Rep and Stu 3(1); DOI: 10.31579/2690-8808/093
Copyright: © 2022 Gabriel Pérez Crisanto. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Received: 28 September 2021 | Accepted: 09 October 2021 | Published: 03 January 2022
Keywords: meta-analysis, local development, risk, contingency, trust
The objective of this work is to review citizen confidence regarding government action in situations of risk and contingency such as the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. A documentary, meta-analytic and retrospective study was carried out with a selection of sources indexed to international repositories, considering the period from 2010 to 2020, although the research design limited the results to the research scenario, suggesting the extension of the work towards the relationship between trust and microfinance in the framework of local development.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in its report for 2020 projects a significant impact of the covid-19 pandemic on developed and emerging economies [1]. Globally, growth of 3% was expected, but now the best scenario is 1% and the most feasible 0.5% [2]. In the case of China, growth of 6% was expected, but now the best option is 2% and the most likely thing that will happen is zero growth [3]. Japan projected 0.5% but its best option will be -0.5% to -3% [4]. In the same negative trend, the Euro zone awaits its growth options: Italy with -2%, Germany and France with -1%, Great Britain, the United States and Spain with -0.5% [5].In the framework of this panorama, trust between rulers and ruled is a relevant phenomenon since decisions in contingency situations imply relationships of trust between the parties. In other words, the policies for containing and mitigating a pandemic imply citizens' perceptions and expectations of their rulers, their strategies, and the expected results [6].
In this sense, studies related to civil confidence regarding government action in the face of potential threats to health, warn that risk communication must be transparent, vertical and unilateral, but in the absence of favourable results or the increase in the uncertainty of these mistrust emerges and spreads like a pandemic [7].
Consequently, addressing the phenomenon of trust in the face of a pandemic is crucial to anticipate scenarios of perception, communication, and management of potential health risks, as well as the perceived or expected evaluation of policies such as pandemic containment or mitigation [8].
The structure of perceived trust includes dimensions related to leadership, technology and science [9]. Thus, in the case of the covid-19 coronavirus, the theory explains the trust that citizens place in their political leaders regarding the implementation of science and technology to solve the pandemic [10].
In this way, trust is a tripartite structure that configures an accumulated expectation as a risk approaches or a crisis intensifies [11]. If trust is only attributable to leaders, then a scenario of acquired despair is created in which citizens learn to listen to their leaders but knowing that there is no solution to the problem [12]. In the case that the leaders organize a comprehensive response to the problem and make their decisions based on science and technology, trust is reconfigured into an expectation favourable to global, regional or local identity [13].
In the case of an expected and imminent risk, trust increases when government communication becomes transparent and technical, but if the results are perceived as arising from negligence or ineptitude, then trust transforms emotions of uncertainty, fear, anxiety and anger [14].
In the course of a contingency, after the leaders have established a course of action, trust coexists with emotions and perceptions of risks such as incommensurability, unpredictability and uncontrollability of situations [15]. At that point, risk management is reduced and mistrust increases [16].
However, confidence in science and technology emerges in an imminent risk situation and remains as communication becomes transparent, intensifies and technical, but in the absence of perceivable goals, confidence turns into despair or at least unfavourable emotions [17].
However, the trust structure has not been established in situations of maximum risk such as pandemics due to the frequency of their occurrences [18]. Thus, in a scenario of health risks and potential threat to social sectors, the review of the studies is mandatory [19].
However, digital networks as a framework of agendas, advertisements, opinions, preferences and intentions, represent a small percentage of the electorate that will participate in the elections [38]. This is because unlike traditional media, digital networks not only reproduce information but also produce expectations in potential voters [39].
Such a difference between the Internet, television, radio, the press or cinema makes it necessary to reflect on the studies of mass communication centred on the establishment of agenda, the framing effect and its consequences on the intentions to vote [40]. That is to say that the study of the digital networks supposes a differentiation of sectors even among the users of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram with respect to others of digital networks [41].
Therefore, it is necessary to study in greater depth the study of the similarities and differences of internet users of digital networks with respect to potential voters of the elections in question [42].
From the theoretical, conceptual and empirical frameworks of trust, it is possible to delineate the axes, trajectories and relationships between the variables. In this way, how the trust towards the authorities regarding their strategies in the face of the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic would be structured in dimensions related to the propensity to decisions, but aversion to the results.
The propensity for decisions and the aversion to results configure an ambivalent phenomenon that prevails in the face of risks, contingencies and expected threats. Decision-making, as established in the theory of trust, involves a structure of expectations based on costs and benefits. In the case of the pandemic, the decisions of the actors involved will be established based on expectations of high losses and low profits. That is to say, the political leaders when declaring the confinement of the people as an instrument of contention or mitigation of the pandemic assume; 1) the smallest number of infections and deaths to reduce economic effects provided that 2) institutions, organizations and political and social actors are willing to reduce or limit their resources and capacities.
The structure of propensity for decisions contrasts with the configuration of aversion to results. It is a flow of contradictory expectations since a consensus of propensity to decisions prevails derived from universal identity, national union or community solidarity, but contrary to the results that for some actors are usually minimal, insufficient or improvable.
In this scenario, leaders seek to preserve their reputation and prestige. Meanwhile, followers question the results, warning that decisions and results depend on the degree of process innovation rather than optimization of resources. Or, the opposite if the prospective decision is to generate new opportunities. In this sense, strategies for a pandemic are more widely accepted during a crisis, although this social support decreases as infection progresses and deaths increase.
A documentary, retrospective and exploratory study was carried out with a selection of sources indexed to international repositories; Ebsco, latindez, Scielo, Scopus and WoS, considering the publication period from 2010 to 2020, as well as the keywords of expectations and risks, as well as the use of the Confidence Expectation Scale, which includes seven items related to the intentions of rulers with respect to the civil protection of the governed in the event of risk events (see Table 1).
Note: Elaborated with data study.
A search was conducted at www.scholar.google.com considering the key expectations, confidence and risks. Expert judges selected the studies, considering the theoretical and conceptual dimensions of propensity to decisions and aversion to results, as well as the factor loads of these dimensions in a common factor identified as expectations of trust, consensus perspective or perception of agreement. Data were coded as type A literature for studies reporting the preponderance of both dimensions; Type B literature for the works that included both variables with other dimensions such as transparency and accountability.
The data were processed in the systematic reviews and meta-analysis
software version 3.0 considering the descriptive, contingent and proportional statistics of probability of making decisions at thresholds of permissible risk.
Table 2 shows the analysis of homogeneous random effects of propensity for decisions in contingencies; sample size, effect sizes, confidence intervals, significance level, variance, standard deviation and confidence intervals in the thresholds of permissible decision-propensity.
The contribution of this work to the state of the question lies in the establishment of risk thresholds after a systematic review of studies that used the Confidence Expectations Scale. The results obtained are limited by the criteria for choosing research that used the scale, the review period and the journal indexing. This suggests the extension of the review in other periods, repositories and dimensions related to the Confidence Expectations Scale.
In relation to the confidence expectations theory, which proposes two dimensions, one related to the prospective decision and the other alluding to the expected results, the present work has established a threshold in which the values of the systematic review were included. Research lines concerning the observation of meta-analytic values in other periods and repositories will allow observing the threshold found.
Regarding the prospective dimension which indicates the commitment of high risks to obtain low profits in an uncertain or threatening environment, the present study has established a threshold in which the studies systematically reviewed are uncertain in a permissible or tolerable zone relative to expectations. Trust worthy. Research regarding this prospective dimension will allow us to observe the same threshold for works that used the same scale in different contexts.
Regarding the aversive dimension of the Confidence Expectations Scale, which highlights the dissent among the parties involved, this paper warns that the prospective dimension could be unrelated. This is so because risk communication is not a continuous process but an emergent and therefore disruptive one. Studies that corroborate this assumption will allow establishing a threshold perceived as tolerable for those who expect decisions and actions from their authorities.
The objective of the present work was to establish confidence expectations thresholds in the event of risk events. In the case of the prospective dimension, the present study established the threshold considering a revision from 2010 to 2020, indexation and factor load. These results are limited by these constraints and suggest extension to another period of time and type of repository. In relation to the theoretical framework, the established threshold suggests an allowable risk, although this would probably not be associated with the threshold of the aversive dimension.
Clearly Auctoresonline and particularly Psychology and Mental Health Care Journal is dedicated to improving health care services for individuals and populations. The editorial boards' ability to efficiently recognize and share the global importance of health literacy with a variety of stakeholders. Auctoresonline publishing platform can be used to facilitate of optimal client-based services and should be added to health care professionals' repertoire of evidence-based health care resources.
