Publics’ communication on controversial sociopolitical issues: extending the situational theory of problem solving

Capturing a unique moment within a particularly volatile political climate where various issues such as climate change, immigration, and healthcare are increasingly polarized, this survey examines the factors driving publics’ engagement in and disengagement from communication on controversial sociopolitical issues. It applies and expands the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) by integrating the theoretical insights from the literature of information omission and avoidance. Results not only support the applicability of the STOPS model in explaining publics’ communication on controversial sociopolitical problems but also the viability of integrating two new behavioral outcomes–information omission and avoidance–into the STOPS framework.