Wednesday, November 10, 2021

To persuade college students to practice social distancing, scaring them into action isn’t enough

 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/934320

 

 News Release 9-Nov-2021
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Virginia Commonwealth University


A study led by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University investigating social distancing behavior by college students in seven countries during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic finds that across cultures, students were more likely to practice social distancing if they believed two things: that it would protect against COVID-19 and that it was an action they could easily carry out.

The most effective public health messaging, the researchers found, emphasized these points, rather than messaging that focused primarily on the threat of COVID-19. The goal of the study was to understand what communication strategies would be most effective in convincing students to undertake a primarily altruistic action: reducing their social and community interactions amid a public health emergency.

-----


No comments:

Post a Comment