Motivating COVID-19 mitigation actions via personal norm: An extension of the norm activation model

OBJECTIVE: Given the prosocial nature of COVID-19 mitigation actions, the norm activation model (NAM) provides a theoretical framework to understand how these mitigation behaviors may be driven by activating personal norms. Aimed at delineating the relationship between awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility, two key variables in the model, the present study examined to what extent this relationship was moderated by political ideology, individual efficacy, and collective efficacy. METHOD: A cross-sectional online survey (N = 560) was implemented with a sample that matched the demographics of the national population in the U.S. RESULTS: The relationship between awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility was stronger among liberals and those reporting low levels of individual efficacy and collective efficacy. CONCLUSION: Health behaviors such as COVID-19 mitigation actions can be motivated by activating individuals’ sense of moral obligation, but the effectiveness of this approach depends on their political ideology and efficacy beliefs. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Campaigns can promote health behaviors by triggering the moral responsibility of the target audience through emphasizing severity of the consequences. This approach can be more effective for liberals and those that lack confidence in individual and collective abilities to avert the threat.