Disaster Crisis and Social Tension: Public Opinion Generation and Transmission Distortion in the Context of New Coronavirus Epidemic

Based on the scenario of a crisis caused by COVID-19 epidemic, this paper focused on the individual and group reactions under the field space of the crisis, took the phenomena of “stigma and discrimination”, “class disorder” and “rumor cluster behavior” as examples, through the investigation into the cause, process and result of this phenomenon, discussed the trend of people's cognition and behavior during the crisis events caused by epidemic diseases. The study found that interpersonal isolation and crisis response led to the expansion of “labels” and inaccurate crisis response measures and information release, which led to public dissatisfaction and initiate stigma and discrimination against individuals and groups in epidemic areas. Based on the seriousness of the event itself, the ambiguity of information release and the social reproduction process of group discussion after the public embedding, caused the negative tension overflow of media and public opinion, which in turn triggers panic and cluster behavior. At the same time, there was a change process of social prestige during the outbreak and prevention and control of the disease, the occupational and social prestige of medical staff was highlighted. While putting forward the corresponding countermeasures to the above problems, we found that in the post-epidemic era we should take this opportunity to conduct the enlightenment of value cognition and reshape the orientation of social prestige;we should engrave the value and significance of life demonstrated during the fight against the epidemic into the collective traumatic memory. Meanwhile, we should anchor the social representation of the Chinese nation community in face of the disaster and strengthen the national identity consciousness.