# Influence of Information Sources and Group Norms on University Students’ Online Rumor Refuting Behavior During Public Health Emergencies

## TL;DR

This study explores how information sources and group norms influence university students' behavior in refuting online rumors during public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Contribution

The study introduces a psychological model using SOR theory to explain how fear and group norms drive online rumor refuting behavior among students.

## Key findings

- Online and offline information seeking increases fear of contracting the virus.
- Fear mediates the relationship between information seeking and online rumor refuting.
- Group norms strengthen the link between fear and rumor refuting behavior.

## Abstract

In the digital era, social media proliferation accelerates rumor dissemination. During public health emergencies, such misinformation intensifies social harm. Studying the influencing factors of online rumor refutation behavior thus becomes crucial. This study uses the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory as an analysis framework, based on the perspective of information sources and integrating group norms as a moderating factor, to explore the psychological processes affecting Chinese university students’ online rumor refuting in public health emergencies. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 1017 respondents, and the collected data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling research method. The results indicate that both online and offline information seeking positively influence university students’ fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus. University students’ fear positively influences their engagement in online rumor refuting. Notably, fear mediates the link between online and offline information seeking and online rumor refuting. Additionally, group norms help strengthen the connection between university students’ fear and their involvement in online refuting rumors. These results provide theoretical explanations and practical guidance for university students to refute rumors online.