The Intentions to Wear Face Masks and the Differences in Preventive Behaviors between Urban and Rural Areas during COVID-19: An Analysis Based on the Technology Acceptance Model

The SARS-CoV-2 virus first emerged in late 2019 and has since spread quickly throughout China and become a global pandemic. As the situation with COVID-19 has evolved, wearing a face mask in public has grown commonplace. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a foundation, this study introduces three new variables, namely, perceived risk, social pressure, and social image, to establish an extended model for investigating the factors that influence if residents wear masks. A total of 1200 questionnaires were distributed in China, from 1 February to 30 May 2020, through China’s largest online platform. The results indicate the following: 1. Residents’ positive attitude towards mask wearing promotes their behavioral intention to wear masks. 2. Perceived risk, social pressure, and social image have a positive impact on attitude towards mask wearing. 3. The intention to wear masks and attitude were both positively influenced by perceived usefulness. 4. The perceived usefulness is more influential in rural than urban groups, in terms of behavioral intention. This article proposes that public education on the facts related to the coronavirus, the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to health, and the usefulness of face masks in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 could increase residents’ intention to wear a mask.