Open AccessTesting persuasive messaging to encourage COVID-19 risk reduction
Author(s) -
Scott E. Bokemper,
Gregory A. Huber,
Erin James,
Alan S. Gerber,
Saad B. Omer
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0264782
Subject(s) - social distance , pandemic , public health , health communication , psychology , covid-19 , social psychology , distancing , internet privacy , public relations , medicine , political science , communication , computer science , infectious disease (medical specialty) , nursing , disease , pathology
What types of public health messages are effective at changing people’s beliefs and intentions to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19? We conducted two randomized experiments in summer 2020 that assigned respondents to read a public health message and then measured their beliefs and behavioral intentions across a wide variety of outcomes. Using both a convenience sample and a pre-registered replication with a nationally representative sample of Americans, we find that a message that reframes not social distancing as recklessness rather than bravery and a message that highlights the need for everyone to take action to protect one another are the most effective at increasing beliefs and intentions related to social distancing. These results provide an evidentiary basis for building effective public health campaigns to increase social distancing during flu pandemics.