Understanding Journalists’ Responses to Occupational Harassment and Intimidation through the Lens of Cognitive Appraisal Theory

Abstract

Journalists increasingly face work-related harassment and intimidation, yet individuals vary markedly in how they interpret and respond to such encounters. Although prior research has documented this variation, the broader scholarship has offered limited insight into the processes through which it emerges and the factors that contribute to it. This article draws on cognitive appraisal theory to examine how journalists evaluate incidents of harassment and intimidation and how these appraisals shape emotional reactions, coping strategies, and professional, social, and well-being outcomes. In contrast to mechanistic stimulus–response models, a cognitive-appraisal approach emphasizes the subjective meanings that individuals construct within specific person–environment relationships. Informed by solicited multimodal diaries and recurring interviews with 19 Finnish professional journalists, along with nine case-focused interviews, we propose a cognitive-appraisal model of harassment and intimidation that conceptualizes journalists’ responses as arising from a dynamic interplay between exposure-related features, individual- and environment-related factors, and assessments of coping options. The model offers a conceptual explanation of journalists’ heterogeneous responses and a structured framework for understanding the processes through which harassment and intimidation affect individuals and their professional conduct. By identifying the core elements that shape these responses, the model also highlights leverage points for strengthening journalists’ resilience.