Abstract

This session focuses on the effects of media information on mass behaviour in times of crisis through two case studies conducted in Japan. The first case study examines how media information could enhance collective resilience in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake using survey data collected from individuals who had experienced the disaster. The second study looks into factors behind the high voluntary compliance with the government’s ‘new normal’ recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Through survey data collected in 2021, it examines the effects of social, psychological, and informational factors on people’s voluntary behaviour. The findings of both studies highlight the importance of media information in enhancing social resilience.

About the Speaker

John W. Cheng is an associate professor of intercultural communication at the College of Liberal Arts at Tsuda University in Japan. He obtained a PhD in international studies at Waseda University, with a specialty in social psychology and media communication. He also holds an MBA in telecommunications from Henley Management College and a BEng from Queensland University of Technology. Prior to joining academia, he worked in the telecommunication industry for more than a decade.

John’s research focuses on the social effects of ICT and media in times of disaster and crisis; it also confronts information challenges in today’s digital society, like the proliferation of health misinformation and conspiracy theories. His work has been published in multiple academic journals, such as Asian Journal of Social Psychology, Health Communication, Telecommunications Policy, and Telematics and Informatics. He is a member of IEEE, IET, ITS, and JSICR, and is currently serving as a board member of the International Telecommunications Society and a fellow at the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association. He is currently working on a co-authored book on the roles of media in crises.