Same same but (very) different? A mixed-method approach on security-related news consumption on traditional and social media and its relation to negative emotional responses and feelings of (in)security
- Author(s)
- Ines Katrin Spielvogel, Kevin Koban, Sarah Juricek, Jörg Matthes
- Abstract
Previous research suggests that passive and active security-related news consumption via traditional and social media is associated with people’s feelings of (in)security. Guided by cultivation theory and the uses and gratifications approach, this study explores common understandings and practices of security-related news consumption in Austria as well as emotional and security-perceptual correlates through an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. Findings from six focus groups (N = 31) and a cross-sectional survey (N = 1,000) revealed (a) participants’ high awareness of differences between traditional and social media reporting on security events, influencing their selective use of each for information needs. However, (b) intensive security-related news consumption, especially when combined with interactive social media engagement, was associated with heightened feelings of fear and anger, along with an increased perception of personal victimization risk. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of an ever-updated understanding of how news consumption is exercised and how it may harm people when over-engaging it.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Communication
- External organisation(s)
- Medizinische Universität Wien
- Journal
- Digital Journalism
- Pages
- 1-24
- ISSN
- 2167-0811
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2026.2669528
- Publication date
- 05-2026
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 508007 Communication science
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Communication
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/16de456f-13c1-4227-840e-8d7b08a9d487