Covid-19 Hoaxes in Virtual Media: Perlocutionary Effects in Cyber-Pragmatic Perspective

Abstract

Abstract

This research focuses on the perlocutionary effects of Covid-19 hoaxes in virtual media platforms. The objects of the research are the perlocutionary effects of Covid-19 hoaxes. The research data included locutions pertaining to Covid-19 hoaxes and their perlocutionary effects on the readers. The substantial research data sources were the excerpts of headlines in the social media which contain the perlocutionary effects of Covid-19 hoaxes. The locational data source was the social media, particularly Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The data were collected using the observation method, especially uninvolved interview. The techniques employed were recording and note-taking. The data was validated theoretically by conforming to the existing relevant theories. The data was also validated by experts in pragmatics and its virtual phenomena. The next step was data analysis. The analysis method applied in this research was the distributional analysis employing the immediate constituent analysis. In addition, the extra-lingual identity method was applied. The research found that there were eight perlocutionary effects of Covid-19 hoaxes, in that the Covid-19 hoaxes aimed to (1) deceive the public, (2) disseminate misinformation, (3) suggest the public with inaccurate information, (4) incite civil unrest, (5) raise public suspicion, (6) raise public rumors, (7) mislead the public with inaccurate information, and (8) spread hoaxes among the public. The research is expected to raise the community’s critical awareness of the negative impact of Covid-19 hoaxes on people’s minds and behaviours.

Keywords: perlocutionary effects, Covid-19 hoaxes, cyberpragmatics