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Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies

OBJECTIVES: Behavioural measures such as social distancing are crucial to prevent the spread of COVID-19. People sometimes have difficulty to comply with these behavioural measures for various reasons. Insight is needed into evidence-based strategies that can promote compliance. In the present study...

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Autores principales: van Empelen, Pepijn, Preuhs, Katharina, Bakker, Leonhard A., Buursma, Petra, Andree, Rosa, Anraad, Charlotte, van Keulen, Hilde M.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9333445/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35901188
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272001
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author van Empelen, Pepijn
Preuhs, Katharina
Bakker, Leonhard A.
Buursma, Petra
Andree, Rosa
Anraad, Charlotte
van Keulen, Hilde M.
author_facet van Empelen, Pepijn
Preuhs, Katharina
Bakker, Leonhard A.
Buursma, Petra
Andree, Rosa
Anraad, Charlotte
van Keulen, Hilde M.
author_sort van Empelen, Pepijn
collection PubMed
description OBJECTIVES: Behavioural measures such as social distancing are crucial to prevent the spread of COVID-19. People sometimes have difficulty to comply with these behavioural measures for various reasons. Insight is needed into evidence-based strategies that can promote compliance. In the present study, we examined whether behaviour change techniques (volitional help sheet (VHS), behavioural journalism (BJ) and empathy inductions (EI)) could promote behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 measures. METHODS: Three online experiments were carried out (N = 424–593) among Dutch adult citizens, using a randomized 2-group post-test and 1-week follow-up design. In each experiment, a control group was compared with the experimental condition (respectively VHS, BJ or EI condition). RESULTS: Two out of the three different strategies did result in favourable changes with regard to the compliance-related measures. The VHS contributed to changes in perceived susceptibility of others (t = -2,78; f**2 = 0,019), perceived severity (t = -3,65; f**2 = 0,032) and individual behavioural compliance measures. People exposed to the VHS were more likely to receive less visitors (w = 16638; p = 0.003)and avoid crowds (w = 16631; p = 0.003). EI increased the perceived vulnerability of others. Video-based role model stories, based on BJ did not result in any changes. CONCLUSIONS: Behaviour change strategies may contribute to promoting behavioural compliance and could be used in public health communication. The empathy induction can be used to enhance other protection motives, while the volitional help sheet effectively can help people to overcome compliance barriers. Behavioural science can add to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
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spelling pubmed-93334452022-07-29 Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies van Empelen, Pepijn Preuhs, Katharina Bakker, Leonhard A. Buursma, Petra Andree, Rosa Anraad, Charlotte van Keulen, Hilde M. PLoS One Research Article OBJECTIVES: Behavioural measures such as social distancing are crucial to prevent the spread of COVID-19. People sometimes have difficulty to comply with these behavioural measures for various reasons. Insight is needed into evidence-based strategies that can promote compliance. In the present study, we examined whether behaviour change techniques (volitional help sheet (VHS), behavioural journalism (BJ) and empathy inductions (EI)) could promote behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 measures. METHODS: Three online experiments were carried out (N = 424–593) among Dutch adult citizens, using a randomized 2-group post-test and 1-week follow-up design. In each experiment, a control group was compared with the experimental condition (respectively VHS, BJ or EI condition). RESULTS: Two out of the three different strategies did result in favourable changes with regard to the compliance-related measures. The VHS contributed to changes in perceived susceptibility of others (t = -2,78; f**2 = 0,019), perceived severity (t = -3,65; f**2 = 0,032) and individual behavioural compliance measures. People exposed to the VHS were more likely to receive less visitors (w = 16638; p = 0.003)and avoid crowds (w = 16631; p = 0.003). EI increased the perceived vulnerability of others. Video-based role model stories, based on BJ did not result in any changes. CONCLUSIONS: Behaviour change strategies may contribute to promoting behavioural compliance and could be used in public health communication. The empathy induction can be used to enhance other protection motives, while the volitional help sheet effectively can help people to overcome compliance barriers. Behavioural science can add to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Library of Science 2022-07-28 /pmc/articles/PMC9333445/ /pubmed/35901188 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272001 Text en © 2022 van Empelen et al https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Research Article
van Empelen, Pepijn
Preuhs, Katharina
Bakker, Leonhard A.
Buursma, Petra
Andree, Rosa
Anraad, Charlotte
van Keulen, Hilde M.
Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies
title Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies
title_full Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies
title_fullStr Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies
title_full_unstemmed Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies
title_short Improving behavioural compliance with the COVID-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: Social experimental studies
title_sort improving behavioural compliance with the covid-19 precautionary measures by means of innovative communication strategies: social experimental studies
topic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9333445/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35901188
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272001
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