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JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

Abstract

This study explores the impact of social media use on the behavior related to the refusal of the COVID-19 vaccination. Social media has been one of the most widely used sources of information during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides easy access to a wide range of content, including information about the COVID-19 vaccination campaign carried out by the Indonesian government. However, content shared via social media is vulnerable to disinformation, fake news, and hoaxes. The use of social media during the pandemic has had a significant impact on people's attitudes toward vaccination, with vaccine hesitancy often stemming from multiple factors. This study aims to measure the impact of social media usage on behavior related to COVID-19 vaccination refusal. The research is grounded in the Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and employs a quantitative-explanatory research method. Data were collected via a survey of 196 respondents from generation X and Y, selected using a purposive sampling technique. The data analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) - Partial Least Square (PLS). Among the respondents—62% females and 38% males—the majority reported receiving an invitation from the Ministry of Health to participate in the vaccination program. The findings reveal a significant and nuanced distinction among the variables of information seeking and status seeking. Notably, purpose-driven or interactive social media activities were not significant predictors of vaccine refusal. In contrast, social media use for entertainment purposes emerged as a strong and statistically significant predictor of vaccine refusal behavior. This key finding suggests that passive consumption of entertainment-oriented content—such as memes, viral videos, or influencer narratives—may influence vaccine attitudes more powerfully than overtly persuasive or informative content. It appears that such content can bypass the critical scrutiny applied during active information-seeking behavior, thereby making entertainment-based media a potent vector for misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. The implication of this study reveals that the “entertainment” motive is the only significant predictor of the refusal of the COVID-19 vaccination, indicating that purely informational or data-heavy campaigns are ineffective against entertainment-driven misinformation. Therefore, public health communication should evolve toward emotionally engaging, narrative-based, and entertainment-oriented strategies, leveraging influencers, storytelling, and positive framing to foster hope, responsibility, and pro-vaccine behavior.

Bahasa Abstract

Penelitian ini mengkaji dampak penggunaan media sosial terhadap perilaku penolakan vaksinasi Covid-19. Media sosial merupakan salah satu sumber informasi yang paling banyak digunakan selama pandemi Covid-19. Beberapa informasi dapat dengan mudah diperoleh melalui media sosial, termasuk informasi tentang vaksinasi Covid-19 yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah untuk mengatasi pandemi di Indonesia. Namun, informasi yang diperoleh dari media sosial rentan terhadap disinformasi, berita palsu, atau hoaks. Penggunaan media sosial selama pandemi Covid-19 memiliki dampak signifikan terhadap perilaku masyarakat terkait vaksinasi. Beberapa ketidakpastian dan resistensi terhadap vaksin bersifat multifaktor. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengukur dampak penggunaan media sosial terhadap perilaku menolak vaksinasi Covid-19. Kerangka teoritis penelitian ini menggunakan Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), serta metode penelitian kuantitatif-eksplanatori. Survei dilakukan pada 196 responden (n = 196) dari generasi X dan Y dengan teknik sampling purposif. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) - Partial Least Square (PLS). Persentase responden terdiri dari 62% perempuan dan 38% laki-lak dengan syarat telah menerima undangan dari Kementerian Kesehatan untuk mendapatkan rangkaian vaksinasi. Temuan menunjukkan perbedaan yang signifikan pada variabel Information Seeking Status Seeking dan Socializing. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah bahwa aktivitas media sosial yang berorientasi pada tujuan atau interaktif tidak secara signifikan memprediksi penolakan vaksin Covid-19, sedangkan penggunaan untuk tujuan hiburan melakukannya. Temuan penting ini menyarankan bahwa konsumsi pasif konten yang dirancang untuk daya tarik hedonis daripada persuasi yang jelas mungkin menjadi faktor yang lebih kuat dalam membentuk sikap terkait kesehatan. Sebaliknya, variabel hiburan muncul sebagai prediktor yang kuat dan secara statistik signifikan terhadap perilaku penolakan vaksin. Temuan kunci ini menyarankan bahwa konsumsi pasif konten media sosial yang dirancang untuk daya tarik hedonis daripada persuasi eksplisit dapat membentuk sikap terkait kesehatan. Dengan adanya misinformasi atau sentimen anti-vaksin yang dimuat dalam konten hiburan seperti meme, video viral, atau narasi influencer sehingga dapat melalui situasi kritis yang terjadi selama proses pencarian informasi oleh masyarakat secara aktif.

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