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Does news media's negative nature lead to heightened stress levels via PsyCap depletion? : Associating news exposure, psychological capital, and stress

Schmitt, Niklas (2020) Does news media's negative nature lead to heightened stress levels via PsyCap depletion? : Associating news exposure, psychological capital, and stress.

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Abstract:Increasing amounts of research are attesting most of news media a negativity biased content and framing. The aim of this study was to investigate whether exposure to news media increases stress levels by lowering levels of stress-buffering psychological capital. Subsequently, it was hypothesized that PsyCap mediates the relationship between news exposure and stress. The sub-hypotheses under investigation were news exposure to be associated with decreases in PsyCap and increases in stress, while high PsyCap was expected to be associated with low stress levels. A correlational survey design was employed. The sample (n = 157) had an age range of 16 – 88 years old (M = 32) and was skewed towards female participants (63%). The survey was conducted online, and mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. News exposure was found to neither affect PsyCap nor stress levels within this sample, and a mediating function of PsyCap was not supported. Yet, PsyCap demonstrated a negative relationship with stress as expected. While harmful effects of news exposure on stress levels or PsyCap could not be demonstrated, additional support for the stress-buffering function of PsyCap was obtained, extending its beneficial effects toward the non-occupational context.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:70 social sciences in general, 77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/81589
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