Professor Will Jennings wins grant to explore the trustworthiness of information sources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new grant of 100000 pounds is supported by the British Academy and is a collaboration between Dr Ben Seyd, University of Kent, Dr Joseph A Hamm, Michigan State University, and Professor Will Jennings, University of Southampton.

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the centrality of official information to effective public health strategies. Yet there are notable social and economic disparities in individuals’ acceptance of such information. A key reason for this disparity is likely to be variations in individuals’ trust in key information sources. This project

The project titled “Identifying the trustworthiness of information sources during the COVID-19 pandemic: Enhancing information reception across the population” will explore the bases for people’s trust in information sources, and how far the levels and determinants of trust are shaped by individuals’ location in particular communities and socio-economic groups. These goals will be pursued via a programme of qualitative and quantitative fieldwork in the UK and US. The project will generate important and valuable lessons for policy-makers in both countries, and at local and national levels, identifying ways to develop more effective and equitable information provision strategies and thus generating social resilience for future health crises.

More information can be found at thr British Academy Website.