Jad Melki
Knowledge Gap Hypothesis and Pandemics: Covid-19 Knowledge, Communication Inequality, and Media Literacy in Lebanon
Lebanese American University
study examines knowledge gap hypothesis covid19 pandemic country experiencing severe social political economic turmoil inequality research design assesses covid19 knowledge 13 variables incorporates income education gender media literacy among socioeconomic status variables also includes television exposure social media exposure social media posting media use measures crosssectional survey adults living lebanon implemented march 27 april 23 2020 study aimed nationally representative probability sample 1536 participants 95 ci 25 received 792 valid responses 516 response rate results show positive relationship covid19 knowledge education media literacy social media exposure relationship covid19 knowledge income gender television exposure social media posting behavior evidence shows widening knowledge gap likely post social media narrowing knowledge gap exposed social media news observed narrowing knowledge gap television exposure statistically generalizable finally evidence shows media literacy maintains knowledge gap almost identically increasing knowledge level low high socioeconomic groups although limitations measuring media literacy merit exploration