The impact of uncertainty and information seeking behaviour on students emotions during the COVID-19 crisis in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Mohd Nasir, Nur Shakira, Wan Mohd Ghazali, Wan Norshira, Mohamed, Shafizan
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: P87 Communication. Mass media
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/87294/1/CERT-ICCOMAH.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/87294/13/87294_%20The%20impact%20of%20uncertainty%20and%20information%20seeking%20behaviour%20on%20students%20emotions.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/87294/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

This study investigated the impact of uncertainty on information-seeking behaviour on students’ emotions during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia. In an attempt to mitigate the rapidly increasing Covid-19 pandemic, the Malaysian government had imposed the MCO on March 17 th 2020. The month-long quarantine resulted in university students being confined in their own dormitory without much access to the world outside. This study utilizes Uncertainty Reduction Theory in explaining the relationship between student uncertainty, their information seeking behaviour and emotions. The theoretical framework assumes that during times of uncertainty, in this case during the MCO, students are likely to be more dependent on the media for information. A quantitative research design is employed, using the survey method with questionnaire as an instrument for data collection. A total of 361 undergraduate students from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) participated in the study. Findings show that there are significant relationships among uncertainty, information seeking and emotion. The Uncertainty Reduction Theory is supported in this study.