The Influence of Media Exposure, Knowledge, and Attitudes on Coping Behaviors towards Romance Scams among Generation X

Abstract

This study examined how media exposure, knowledge, and attitudes might influence coping behaviors related to romance scams. Framed by the KAP model, the research showed the importance of understanding both cognitive and affective domains, potentially shaping the preventive actions.

A survey approach is employed, drawing on 300 Generation-X Thai participants. A questionnaire is used to collect data, mainly covering levels of media exposure, knowledge of romance scams, attitudes toward such scams, and self-reported coping behaviors. Stepwise multiple regression is used to determine the influence of the key variables on coping behaviors.

Results indicated moderate levels of media exposure (M = 3.21), with traditional media as primary information sources. The knowledge was also moderate (M = 9.36), indicating stronger familiarity with scam definitions and perpetrators’ behaviors but less awareness of scam types. Despite largely negative attitudes (M = 4.31), personal victimization fear remained relatively low. Moreover, regression analysis revealed knowledge (β = 0.350) and media exposure (β = 0.170) significantly predicting coping behaviors, jointly accounting for 17.7% of the variance. The negative attitudes alone did not significantly increase proactive scam avoidance, suggesting that enhancing factual understanding and delivering targeted media messages may be more impactful than solely emphasizing negative perceptions. In contributing to the implications, this study shows the crucial role of informing Generation X of diverse scam methods and promoting reliable media channels reinforcing preventive practices. Practical interventions could target improving scam-related knowledge and ensuring balanced, accessible information across media platforms, facilitating better self-protection and immunity to romance scams.