This study investigates how individuals’ communication-related behaviors are formed in line with the core principles of the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) and how these behaviors shape their intention to comply with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations during an epidemic. Additionally, the research examines whether perceptions of corporate reputation influence communicative behaviors and compliance intentions. Digital survey data were obtained from 261 postgraduate students enrolled at a public university in Turkey’s Eastern Anatolia Region. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to analyze the data. The findings show that perceptual antecedents significantly predicted situational motivation, which subsequently influenced communicative behaviors. Communicative behaviors played a decisive role in individuals’ intentions to follow official instructions. Moreover, perceptions of corporate reputation had a significant impact on both communicative behaviors and willingness to comply with instructions. The results demonstrate that STOPS constitutes a strong conceptual framework for enhancing risk communication efforts during public health emergencies such as epidemics. The study further highlights the link between individuals’ communicative behaviors and their compliance intentions, as well as the influential role of corporate reputation in shaping both outcomes.
