Shaping Perception: A Comparative Analysis of Government Blame-Shifting and Public Trust in Crisis Communication Strategies

The reciprocal dynamics of crisis communication are inherently tied to trust, a pivotal factor influencing the implementation of restrictive containment measures and politicians' concerns for re-election. Existing research underscores the negative impact of shared threats on political trust during crises, prompting politicians to evade responsibility and shift blame for damages to other actors. However, while politicians convey their actions on television, the public engages in real-time discussions and critiques on social media platforms. While studies predominantly focus on the supply side when it comes to blame shifting in crisis communication, those that examine the effect of communication strategies on trust largely rely on survey and experimental methods thereby neglecting the central role of communication between public and politicians. Addressing this gap, this study investigates actual communication settings to uncover the connection between government blame-shifting strategies and public perception during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. To answer the question of how government communication strategies impact blame attribution and manage to steer public perception of crisis management, and what discernible patterns and adaptations emerge through an analysis of these communication dynamics, the study leverages data from two distinct sources in nine OECD countries. It utilizes transcripts of 392 governmental press conferences during the initial phase of the pandemic and samples of public tweets issued concurrently, facilitating a direct comparison of government communication and public perception. Contrasting press conferences and public tweets enables an in-depth examination of communication content between the state and the public. Employing manual coding and quantitative methods, this research illuminates discernible patterns in blame-shifting strategies crucial for shaping public perception and responsibility attribution, thereby fortifying trust in crisis management. This methodological approach also allows an exploration of learning processes, providing insights into how states adapt communication strategies in response to public feedback. The findings contribute valuable insights into effective crisis communication and trust-building, with implications for theoretical understanding and practical applications in crisis management.