A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic
230 Affective Neuroscience
INTENTIONS
150
[SHS.PSY]Humanities and Social Sciences/Psychology
Social Sciences
Intention
FATIGUE
501021 Social psychology
Behavior change
RA0421
RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
ta515
behavior change, COVID-19, health communication, motivation, self-determination theory
behavior change ; motivation ; health communication ; COVID-19 ; self-determination theory
769595
behavior change; COVID-19; health communication; motivation; self-determination theory;
05 social sciences
Self-determination theory
3. Good health
SDG 3 – Gesundheit und Wohlergehen
[SCCO.PSYC]Cognitive science/Psychology
501021 Sozialpsychologie
Public Health
Covid-19
BEHAVIOR
behavior change
Supplementary Information
330
L400
self-determination theory
Physical Distancing
Applied Behavior Analysis
motivation
PARENTAL PROHIBITION
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Domínio/Área Científica::Ciências Sociais::Psicologia
health communication
Humans
MESSAGES
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
European Commission
Pandemics
METAANALYSIS
Motivation
Behaviour Change and Well-being
COVID-19
COVID-19; behavior change; health communication; motivation; self-determination theory
behavior change; motivation; health communication; COVID-19; self-determination theory
300
Health communication
ta5141
INTERNALIZATION
DOI:
10.1073/pnas.2111091119
Publication Date:
2022-05-27T17:51:13Z
AUTHORS (553)
ABSTRACT
Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (
n
= 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges.
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CITATIONS (20)
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