ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to empirically examine threat perceptions of COVID-19 pandemic. Building my argument by drawing on data collected from Kantar, Pew Research Center, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Statista, and University of Canberra, I performed analyses and made estimates regarding the relationship between news discernment, media exaggeration, and misleading information. The structural equation modeling technique was used to test the research model.

Keywords: COVID-19; pandemic; threat; perception; news; media; misinformation

How to cite: Bratu, S. (2020). “Threat Perceptions of COVID-19 Pandemic: News Discernment, Media Exaggeration, and Misleading Information,” Analysis and Metaphysics 19: 38–44. doi:10.22381/AM1920203

Received 26 April 2020 • Received in revised form 24 September 2020
Accepted 27 September 2020 • Available online 1 October 2020