Protection Motivation and the COVID-19 Virus

Kowalski, Robin M.; Black, Kelly

doi:10.1080/10410236.2020.1847448

Cited by 129 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…One study using PMT as a framework surveyed people in Wave 1 (March 2020) and Wave 2 (May 2020) (Rogers, 1975). Results indicated that older adults and women were more likely to report that protective behaviors were effective in reducing COVID-19 spread and were more likely to adopt these behaviors (Kowalski and Black, 2021). Another study compared behaviors between younger and older adults (Kim and Crimmins, 2020a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using the Health Belief Model to Understand Age Differences in Perceptions and Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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COVID-19 severity and mortality risk are greater for older adults whereas economic impact is deeper for younger adults. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a framework, this study used a web-based survey to examine how perceived COVID-19 susceptibility and severity and perceived efficacy of recommended health behaviors varied by age group and were related to the adoption of health behaviors. Proportional odds logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between age group and perceived COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, impact, and health behavior efficacy and adoption. Structural equation modeling based on HBM constructs examined the relationships between health beliefs and behaviors. Data from 820 participants (Ontario, Canada) were analyzed (age: 42.7, 16.2 years; 79% women). Middle-aged and older adults reported greater concerns about the personal risk of hospitalization and mortality, economic impact, and social impact of COVID-19 than young adults. Middle-aged adults also reported greatest concern for other age groups. Adoption and perceived efficacy of health behaviors was similar across age groups with few exceptions. Both middle-aged and older-adults were more likely to perceive their own and each other's age groups as responding adequately to COVID-19 compared to young adults. Structural equation modeling indicated perceived benefits of health behaviors were the primary driver of behavior uptake, with socioeconomic factors and perceived severity and susceptibility indirectly associated with uptake through their influence on perceived benefits. Overall, these results suggest adoption of health behaviors is very high with few differences between age groups, despite differences in perceived impact of COVID-19. Public health communications should focus on the benefits of health behaviors to drive adoption.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using the Health Belief Model to Understand Age Differences in Perceptions and Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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“…They highlight that perceived threat, perceived vulnerability/susceptibility and perceived efficacy/benefits and barriers are all critical components for promoting protective behaviors; importantly, these models have been used widely to design behavioral interventions [8,9]. Indeed, studies drawing upon these theoretical frameworks have confirmed the predictive power of these variables with regard to health-related behaviors during the COVID-19 crisis [10][11][12][13]. In relation, it has been shown that perceived risk for oneself-as opposed to actual risk-partially accounts for compliance with rules [14].…”

Section: Fear and The Crisismentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting fear and perceived health during the COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning: A cross-national longitudinal study

et al. 2021

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During medical pandemics, protective behaviors need to be motivated by effective communication, where finding predictors of fear and perceived health is of critical importance. The varying trajectories of the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries afford the opportunity to assess the unique influence of ‘macro-level’ environmental factors and ‘micro-level’ psychological variables on both fear and perceived health. Here, we investigate predictors of fear and perceived health using machine learning as lockdown restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic were introduced in Austria, Spain, Poland and Czech Republic. Over a seven-week period, 533 participants completed weekly self-report surveys which measured the target variables subjective fear of the virus and perceived health, in addition to potential predictive variables related to psychological factors, social factors, perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD), and economic circumstances. Viral spread, mortality and governmental responses were further included in the analysis as potential environmental predictors. Results revealed that our models could accurately predict fear of the virus (accounting for approximately 23% of the variance) using predictive factors such as worrying about shortages in food supplies and perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD), where interestingly, environmental factors such as spread of the virus and governmental restrictions did not contribute to this prediction. Furthermore, our results revealed that perceived health could be predicted using PVD, physical exercise, attachment anxiety and age as input features, albeit with smaller effect sizes. Taken together, our results emphasize the importance of ‘micro-level’ psychological factors, as opposed to ‘macro-level’ environmental factors, when predicting fear and perceived health, and offer a starting point for more extensive research on the influences of pathogen threat and governmental restrictions on the psychology of fear and health.

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“… Ezati Rad et al (2021) found significant positive correlations between preventive behaviors for COVID-19 and perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and protection motivation. Kowalski and Black (2021) found that perceived severity and perceived effectiveness, and also the power of the proposed measures in preventing or reducing the risk (response efficacy) significantly predicted engagement and adherence with the recommended behaviors. Al-Hasan et al (2020) found that higher levels of threat appraisal, coping appraisal, and intensity related to COVID-19 knowledge positively influenced social distancing adherence.…”

Section: Fear Appealsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…On the contrary, those who have a low perception of their risk, the seriousness of the virus, the effectiveness of the recommended behaviors, or their capability to following through with recommended behaviors will be less likely to engage in preventive or protective behaviors. Recently, several studies have attempted to predict the adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors based on PMT (e.g., Al-Hasan et al, 2020 ; Chong et al, 2020 ; Jørgensen et al, 2020 ; Kowalski and Black, 2021 ; Rui et al, 2021 ). Their findings have shown that efficacy beliefs predict compliance with recommended preventive behaviors in the case of COVID-19 ( Chong et al, 2020 ; Jørgensen et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Fear Appealsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been revealed that fear appeals are more effective when the message includes efficacy, emphasizes the severity and vulnerability of the risk, but clearly underline the applicability and functionality of the recommended measures ( Tannenbaum et al, 2015 ). Recent studies have shown that public health messages that focus on the severity of the virus and the efficacy of the preventive behaviors are deemed to be more effective ( Anaki and Sergay, 2021 ; Kowalski and Black, 2021 ; Lithopoulos et al, 2021 ; Rui et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Recommendations For Awareness Campaignsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Accepting Restrictions and Compliance With Recommended Preventive Behaviors for COVID-19: A Discussion Based on the Key Approaches and Current Research on Fear Appeals

Demirtaş-Madran

2021

Front. Psychol.

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COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) is a novel coronavirus which was first detected in late December 2019 in the Wuhan Province of China. This novel coronavirus, caused by a zoonotic beta-coronavirus (SARS-CoV-), is described as highly infectious. The World Health Organization (WHO) named the novel coronavirus as COVID-19 on February 11, 2020, and declared it as a “pandemic.” Almost all countries have undertaken wide-scale precautions so as to prevent or limit the spread of the virus, with most having practiced some form of “lockdown” along with “social distancing,” as well as dispensed recommendations for proper hand washing, avoiding touching the face, wearing facemasks, and using disposable tissues when either coughing or sneezing. Whereas it is well known that slowing the spread of this new epidemic requires the cooperation of all citizens, some people still seem to willfully disregard the rules and guidelines, and thereby ignore the health risks posed to both themselves and to others they come into contact with. People have responded differently to lockdown rules and social distancing practices. Whilst the majority follow the rules and recommendations with great care, others are more lax or simply refuse to comply. These differences might be accounted for according to a number of factors including personal, social, cultural, mental, and economic variables. Being persuaded to comply with preventive rules, especially those concerned with health-related behaviors, also bring certain other factors into play. Fear is one of those factors, and is one of the most powerful. It is well known that fear-based appeals can be effective in inculcating health behaviors, with many theories having been developed in this area. However, both the content of the message (the level of the fear it contains) and certain personal variables can determine the persuasive power of the fear appeal. It can even have an adverse effect if not properly applied. Many theories have been developed to address the persuasive effectiveness of the fear appeal (e.g., fear-drive theory, protection-motivation theory), and this study aims to discuss these individual differences in precautionary and preventive measures for the COVID-19 pandemic within the framework of the basic assumptions of these theoretical approaches.

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Protection Motivation and the COVID-19 Virus

Cited by 129 publications

References 20 publications

Using the Health Belief Model to Understand Age Differences in Perceptions and Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Using the Health Belief Model to Understand Age Differences in Perceptions and Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Predicting fear and perceived health during the COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning: A cross-national longitudinal study

Accepting Restrictions and Compliance With Recommended Preventive Behaviors for COVID-19: A Discussion Based on the Key Approaches and Current Research on Fear Appeals

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