Dear Colleagues,

Different ways of communicating the same pieces of information as certain or as uncertain can significantly affect laypersons’ beliefs, their processes of decision-making, as well as their subsequent behaviours. This claim, which is true in principle, assumes a specific value during a pandemic like the one due to the diffusion of the new Coronavirus.

All pandemics, including that caused by COVID-19, are events characterized by different kinds of uncertainty: “uncertainty about getting infected, uncertainty about the seriousness of the infection, uncertainty about whether the people around you are infected, uncertainty about whether objects or surfaces (e.g., money, doorknobs) are infected, uncertainty about the optimal type of treatment or protective measures, and uncertainty about whether a pandemic is truly over” (Taylor 2019: 43). However, not all people are able to tolerate it and to functionally cope with it (Carleton 2012). Some individuals more than others need reassurances, especially concerning the matters that directly impact their own health. Where people ask for certainties, i.e., ask for obtaining sure information, nonetheless, they often obtain uncertain, ambiguous, changing information, which seem to be responsible for the increase in fear, anxiety, stress;  for the difficulties in taking on decisions; for the assumption on challenging positions towards the scientific authorities or scholars (see, for example, how people reply on the social networks to these uncertain, changing and inconsistent news).

The aim of this special issue is to focus on the complex relations between uncertain communication, on the one hand, and cognitive, psychological and behavioural outcomes among different populations of laypersons, on the other.

Original research, meta-analysis, and review articles related to these topics are welcome. Quantitative and qualitative approaches are equally appreciated.

Potential relevant themes to this research topic may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. The uncertain communication in scientific and/or in popular articles about COVID-19 and how it affects Governments, scientific communities and laypersons’ decisions
2. The uncertain communication in the different stages of the pandemic spread, and its outcomes
3. The uncertain communication about the vaccines
4. The intolerance of uncertainty
5. Coping strategies to face uncertainty
6. The relation between uncertainty, stress, anxiety and fear
7. Uncertainty and personality traits
8. Scientific uncertainty and public health communication

Dr. Ramona Bongelli
Dr. Ilaria Riccioni
Dr. Alessia Bertolazzi
Guest Editors

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• communication
• covid-19
• uncertainty
• coping strategies
• fear
• stress
• anxiety