A new analysis suggests personality traits help explain why educated people sometimes adopt extreme wellness trends. The finding matters because these trends can harm health and spread misinformation online (The Conversation).
Wellness fads now spread fast on social media. Some trends pose real risks like raw diets or dangerous unproven therapies. Others remain harmless but lead followers toward more extreme beliefs. The Conversation review links these patterns to two personality traits in the Big Five model.
Psychologists describe human personality using five core traits. Openness and agreeableness matter most for wellness interest. Openness drives curiosity and attraction to novelty. Agreeableness makes people trusting and community oriented (The Conversation).
People high in openness seek new ideas and question tradition. They prefer unconventional sources over established channels. These people often explore alternative health content out of curiosity. They also value experience and novelty more than routine advice.
People high in agreeableness value harmony and trust. They respond strongly to empathetic stories and community appeals. They also rely on socially endorsed sources even without rigorous evaluation. Influencers often craft messages that align with these values.
Influencers use novelty and trust to persuade followers. They blend eye-catching content with warm, community-driven narratives. This mix appeals to both open and agreeable personalities. The result can be rapid pickup of untested health practices online (The Conversation).
Influencers create parasocial relationships with followers. Followers feel close to these online personalities despite no real contact. Parasocial bonds make followers more likely to accept advice. This dynamic can move people from safe trends to risky practices.
A gateway effect can push people from mild wellness habits to harmful beliefs. Someone may start with ice baths and later adopt restrictive diets or anti-vaccine ideas. Trusted influencers who escalate recommendations can guide this progression. Repeated exposure to fringe narratives can erode trust in institutions.
The Conversation argues that followers of extreme practices are not merely gullible. The article states that many are driven by the same urge to explore and connect as everyone else. The authors say the challenge is to steer that urge toward health, not harm (The Conversation).
The research implies that simple information campaigns may not work. Personality shapes how people search for and evaluate health claims. People high in openness may ignore static fact sheets. People high in agreeableness may accept familiar or socially endorsed messages without scrutiny.
Public health communication must adapt to these realities. The Conversation suggests using dynamic, engaging messages for open personalities. It also recommends empathetic, community-framed messages for agreeable audiences (The Conversation).
Digital opinion leaders with medical backgrounds can help. A 2025 Journal of Medical Internet Research study found such influencers aid public health outreach. The study interviewed healthcare digital opinion leaders in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Researchers found these leaders often correct misinformation and model preventive behaviours (JMIR).
The JMIR study included Thailand among its settings. Several Thai digital opinion leaders reported using TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to promote disease prevention. The study found many of these professionals relied on journals and authoritative sites for content. The leaders also showed willingness to collaborate with government agencies and NGOs (JMIR).
Thailand has high social media use. About 49.1 million Thais used social media in January 2024. That figure equates to roughly 68 percent of the population (DataReportal). The scale makes social media a powerful public health channel.
Young adults make up a large share of social media audiences. Digital natives often turn to platforms for health tips and lifestyle trends. Influencers shape beliefs among people aged 18 to 40. This group also shows high openness to new ideas.
Thai culture values social harmony and community. These values can increase the influence of empathetic messaging. Highly agreeable people may follow advice that signals care for family and community. Public health messages must respect these cultural norms to gain traction.
Buddhist teachings emphasize moderation and mindful choices. Public health messages can connect scientific guidance to these local values. Framing health advice as care for family aligns better with Thai cultural priorities. Such framing may work well for agreeable audiences.
Schools and universities can teach digital health literacy. Young people need skills to evaluate online claims critically. Education should teach how to check sources and spot commercial bias. Schools should also discuss emotional and persuasive tactics used by influencers.
Health authorities must also train communicators to use modern formats. Short video formats, strong visuals, and personal stories increase message reach. Officials should test materials on target audiences before wide release. Testing helps ensure messages feel authentic and trustworthy.
The Conversation recommends presenting science as evolving to engage open minds. Health agencies can present research as active inquiry rather than fixed rules. This approach may reduce the allure of fringe novelty. It also shows respect for curiosity while keeping messages evidence-based (The Conversation).
Agencies should partner with credible digital opinion leaders. Medical professionals with online reach can translate technical evidence. These influencers can debunk myths and answer follower questions in real time. The JMIR study showed such collaborations can increase vaccine readiness and preventive behaviours (JMIR).
The government should streamline collaboration approvals with health influencers. Delays hamper timely responses during outbreaks and seasonal risks. Faster processes let officials share credible content during peak interest. The JMIR study participants called for clearer, quicker collaborations (JMIR).
Health agencies must avoid heavy-handed censorship. People high in openness may resist messages that sound dogmatic. Authorities should prefer engagement and dialogue over bans. They should offer evidence and invite questions to build trust.
Regulators should require influencer transparency when promoting health advice or products. Audiences deserve to know whether influencers receive payment. Clear disclosure reduces conflicts of interest. Transparency also helps viewers assess motivations behind advice.
Monitoring tools can flag emerging risky trends early. Health teams can track hashtags, viral videos, and community chatter. Early detection lets officials create tailored rebuttals or alternative content. This method helps prevent small trends from growing into harms.
Hospitals and clinics should offer brief training for clinicians who post online. Medical staff need guidance on ethical promotion and digital communication. Training should include how to cite sources and avoid product endorsements. It should also cover responding to follower comments respectfully.
Public health campaigns should use moral hooks that resonate locally. Messages that stress filial duty and community welfare may work well in Thailand. Campaigns should use real stories from Thai families to increase empathy. This tactic appeals to agreeable personalities without sacrificing accuracy.
Health messages should leverage seasonal timing. People show more interest in health topics during outbreaks or seasonal risks. Officials should schedule major campaigns to match public attention cycles. Timing improves engagement and the chance of behaviour change.
Local NGOs and community leaders can amplify credible content. Village health volunteers and local temples often hold community trust. Working with these groups expands reach beyond social media. It also helps translate digital messages into concrete local actions.
Digital literacy should enter healthcare worker training. Clinicians must understand how misinformation spreads online. This skill helps them counsel patients who bring influencer claims to clinics. It also improves the quality of online professional engagement.
Researchers should study how personality-tailored messages perform in Thailand. Trials can compare dynamic, curiosity-driven messages with standard fact sheets. They can also test empathetic community messages versus neutral ones. The results can guide national communication strategies.
Private platforms should enforce rules against harmful medical claims. Social networks can limit reach of demonstrably dangerous advice. Platforms should also promote verified medical accounts during health crises. Cooperation between platforms and health agencies is critical.
The wellness industry must act responsibly. Businesses that sell health products must avoid exaggerated claims. Regulators should require evidence for health benefit statements. Consumers also need clearer labels and warnings on risky products.
Clinicians should ask patients about influencer-driven practices. Doctors should open nonjudgmental conversations when patients follow wellness trends. Clinicians can then explain risks clearly and propose safer alternatives. This approach preserves trust in clinical relationships.
Parents should discuss online wellness claims with children. Parents can teach young people to ask who benefits from the claim. They can also model how to check sources and verify facts. Family conversations prepare children for online persuasion.
Community campaigns can use storytelling and visuals. Simple videos can show harms of risky trends and the science behind safer choices. Storytelling reduces resistance and fosters empathy. Visuals also increase shareability on social platforms.
The Conversation authors caution against treating followers as merely misinformed. They call for steering curiosity and warmth toward healthy behaviours. Public health should match influencer tactics without eroding truth (The Conversation).
Thailand can pilot personality-informed campaigns in urban centres. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket offer diverse audiences and high social media use. Pilots can measure engagement, attitude change, and behaviour outcomes. Successful pilots can scale to provincial and national levels.
Health communicators should use clear citations and links in posts. Citing primary studies helps viewers verify claims. It also models good information hygiene for audiences. This practice increases credibility for both influencers and agencies.
Civil society can run public workshops on influencer literacy. NGOs can teach citizens how to spot sponsored content and manipulative tactics. Workshops work well when held at schools and community centres. They also help older adults navigate rapidly changing platforms.
Data collection must track both online trends and offline behaviour. Officials should combine digital surveillance with surveys on actual behaviour. This approach reveals whether online messages change real actions. It also guides resource allocation for public health programs.
Health ministries should test short, shareable myth-busting content. Quick videos that debunk specific claims can curb misinformation spread. The content should remain respectful and avoid shaming. Respectful debunking maintains trust and invites dialogue.
Researchers should explore how openness and agreeableness interact with education. High education does not always prevent susceptibility to wellness fads. Studies can test whether education plus targeted messaging reduces risk. Results can improve national health education curricula.
Funding should support collaborations between health agencies and credible influencers. Small grants can fund evidence-based content creation and community engagement. The investment can yield better prevention and trust. The JMIR study found many influencers welcome such partnerships (JMIR).
Health professionals who post online should state evidence limits. They should say when science remains uncertain. Such transparency builds credibility with curious audiences. It also reduces space for fringe claims to claim authority.
The private sector can support training for smaller creators. Platforms and brands can fund briefings on ethical health communication. Training raises the quality of public discourse on wellness topics. It also reduces harm from ill-informed endorsements.
Evaluations should measure harm reduction and trust restoration. Campaigns should track decreases in dangerous behaviours and increases in trust. They should also measure whether people seek reliable sources more often. Evaluation drives continuous improvement.
Thailand faces a digital age test. The country needs communications that respect curiosity and community values. The challenge lies in turning exploration into safe, evidence-based health action. Policymakers must act now to shape a healthier online information environment.