A Dual-Path Analysis Based on the EPPM Framework of Threat and Efficacy Appraisal

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the dissemination of health-related online rumors (e.g., "vaccines alter DNA," "disinfectant cures COVID-19") increased by 320% year-on-year (WHO, 2021), causing public panic and inappropriate behaviors. The rumor exposure rate among Chinese netizens reached 78.6%, with health-related rumors accounting for 42.3% (CNNIC, 2021), highlighting the urgency of governance. Existing research often focuses on single-path mechanisms of rumor dissemination: the emotional path (online social anxiety → rumor dissemination, Liao Jiali, 2021) or the cognitive path (risk perception → dissemination behavior, Slovic, 1987). However, these fail to explain why some audiences resist rumors in high-threat situations. This study employs the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) to address this gap through its dual-path decision mechanism of "threat-efficacy" appraisal. Conclusion: This research validates that within the Chinese context, high media trust can effectively inhibit rumor dissemination triggered by anxiety and risk perception, providing theoretical and empirical support for precise rumor governance based on the EPPM model. Future research should integrate neuroscience and cross-cultural perspectives to deepen the mechanistic understanding.