Beyond the Words: How Physicians’ Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Shape Patients’ Intentions to Seek Health Information

Past research has found an association between physicians' communication and patients' intentions to seek health information during medical encounters, yet the mechanisms mediating this process remain unclear. Guided by the theory of motivated information management (TMIM) and discrepant verbal-nonverbal profile (DVNP) theory, this study explores how physicians' verbal and nonverbal communication influence patients' intentions to seek health information from physicians through a four-stage mediation process. In a 2 (language: medical jargon vs. plain language) × 2 (nonverbal immediacy: high vs. low) × 2 (topic: influenza vaccine vs. coronary artery disease) between-subjects online experiment, 394 participants were randomly assigned to view videos of a physician's communication. Results revealed that medical jargon negatively impacted patient health information seeking intentions through the serial mediation of medical uncertainty discrepancy, outcome expectancy, and efficacy assessments. Conversely, high nonverbal immediacy positively influenced health information seeking intentions through the serial mediation of social uncertainty discrepancy, relational anxiety, outcome expectancy, and efficacy assessments. These findings advance TMIM by differentiating types of uncertainty discrepancies and clarifying the interplay of verbal and nonverbal communication in shaping patient perceptions, emotional responses, and health information management behaviors.