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Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users

BACKGROUND: Social media is an integral part of daily life as people are exposed to considerable amounts of information via social media. In particular, WhatsApp is a messaging application used for sharing information and keeping in touch with individuals and groups. It is a platform considered appr...

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Autor principal: Moawad, Ruba AbdelMatloub
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Dove 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9439644/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36062031
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S367724
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author Moawad, Ruba AbdelMatloub
author_facet Moawad, Ruba AbdelMatloub
author_sort Moawad, Ruba AbdelMatloub
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Social media is an integral part of daily life as people are exposed to considerable amounts of information via social media. In particular, WhatsApp is a messaging application used for sharing information and keeping in touch with individuals and groups. It is a platform considered appropriate for expressing emotions. PURPOSE: This study analyzed a WhatsApp group of friends in Saudi Arabia and their messages regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic during the first wave of infections to capture their attitudes, emotions, and perceptions related to the pandemic. We also investigated WhatsApp usage during COVID-19. METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS: A quantitative exploratory study and qualitative content analysis of a sample of WhatsApp group interactions during the pandemic in Saudi Arabia were combined. RESULTS: We found that WhatsApp was used more frequently than other social media platforms for communication with family and friends. Moreover, denial was the first behavior evident at the beginning of the pandemic, followed by hope, sadness, and anxiety, and then, panic, fear, and happiness. CONCLUSION: WhatsApp affects its users’ attitudes, perceptions, and behavior just as much as any other social media. Posts and comments shared on WhatsApp reflected different emotions, ranging from fear, anger, and sadness to hope, happiness, and pride.
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spelling pubmed-94396442022-09-03 Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users Moawad, Ruba AbdelMatloub Psychol Res Behav Manag Original Research BACKGROUND: Social media is an integral part of daily life as people are exposed to considerable amounts of information via social media. In particular, WhatsApp is a messaging application used for sharing information and keeping in touch with individuals and groups. It is a platform considered appropriate for expressing emotions. PURPOSE: This study analyzed a WhatsApp group of friends in Saudi Arabia and their messages regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic during the first wave of infections to capture their attitudes, emotions, and perceptions related to the pandemic. We also investigated WhatsApp usage during COVID-19. METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS: A quantitative exploratory study and qualitative content analysis of a sample of WhatsApp group interactions during the pandemic in Saudi Arabia were combined. RESULTS: We found that WhatsApp was used more frequently than other social media platforms for communication with family and friends. Moreover, denial was the first behavior evident at the beginning of the pandemic, followed by hope, sadness, and anxiety, and then, panic, fear, and happiness. CONCLUSION: WhatsApp affects its users’ attitudes, perceptions, and behavior just as much as any other social media. Posts and comments shared on WhatsApp reflected different emotions, ranging from fear, anger, and sadness to hope, happiness, and pride. Dove 2022-08-29 /pmc/articles/PMC9439644/ /pubmed/36062031 http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S367724 Text en © 2022 Moawad. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) ). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php).
spellingShingle Original Research
Moawad, Ruba AbdelMatloub
Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users
title Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users
title_full Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users
title_fullStr Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users
title_full_unstemmed Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users
title_short Using WhatsApp During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Emotions and Perceptions of Users
title_sort using whatsapp during the covid-19 pandemic and the emotions and perceptions of users
topic Original Research
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9439644/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36062031
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S367724
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