Configurational Pathways of Online Public Opinion Reversal in Sudden Public Incidents involving Local Governments: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-721-7_7How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Online public opinion reversal; Sudden public incidents; Local government; Collaborative governance; Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis; Configurational paths

Abstract

This study investigates the complex mechanisms and configurational pathways leading to online public opinion reversal in sudden public incidents involving local governments. Drawing upon Collaborative Governance Theory and Public Opinion Life Cycle Theory, a three-dimensional analytical framework was established, encompassing governance subject behavior, communication characteristics, and public response status. Utilizing fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) on 36 representative cases occurring between 2023 and 2025, the research explores how seven antecedent variables—including initial release platform attributes, government intervention, response timeliness, and public attention—interact to drive reversal intensity. The necessity analysis indicates that no single variable independently determines reversal intensity, reinforcing the configurational and non-linear nature of the phenomenon. The configuration analysis identifies five sufficient pathways categorized into three distinct models: the Government-led Collaborative Governance Model, the High-Heat Explanation and Correction-oriented Model, and the Media-Public-led Alternative Governance Model. These findings suggest that while rapid government response is effective in low-popularity stages, high-heat scenarios require iterative factual supplementation and multi-subject interaction. The study concludes that effective governance requires prioritizing “discursive anchoring” on initial platforms, dynamically adjusting strategies based on configuration types, and mastering key temporal and informational nodes to enhance institutional credibility.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Jiakang Peng
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/06
TI  - Configurational Pathways of Online Public Opinion Reversal in Sudden Public Incidents involving Local Governments: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 6th International Conference on Public Management and Intelligent Society (PMIS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 60
EP  - 74
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-721-7_7
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-721-7_7
ID  - Peng2026
ER  -