A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: Legate, N. et al.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume: 119

Issue: 22

eISSN: 1091-6490

ISSN: 0027-8424

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111091119

Abstract:

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This crosscountry, 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.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/36843/

Source: Scopus

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authors: Psychological Science Accelerator Self-Determination Theory Collaboration

Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Volume: 119

Issue: 22

Pages: e2111091119

eISSN: 1091-6490

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111091119

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.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/36843/

Source: PubMed

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: Legate, N., Stephen, I.D. et al.

Journal: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Volume: 119

Issue: 22

eISSN: 1091-6490

ISSN: 0027-8424

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111091119

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/36843/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

A Global Experiment on Motivating Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Psychological Science Accelerator Self-Determination Theory Collaboration and Vasilev, M.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Publisher: National Academy of Sciences

ISSN: 0027-8424

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111091119

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/36843/

Source: Manual

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authors: Psychological Science Accelerator Self-Determination Theory Collaboration

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume: 119

Issue: 22

Pages: e2111091119

eISSN: 1091-6490

ISSN: 0027-8424

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111091119

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.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/36843/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: Legate, N., Stephen, I.D. et al.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

Volume: 119

Issue: 22

Publisher: National Academy of Sciences

ISSN: 0027-8424

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 to 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 to 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 intentions 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.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/36843/

https://www.pnas.org/

Source: BURO EPrints