Applying an integrated social cognition model to predict social distancing intention and behavior during the covid-19 pandemic
Author(s)
Hagger, Martin S
Smith, Stephanie R
Keech, Jacob J
Moyers, Susette A
Hamilton, Kyra
Year published
2021
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global public health issue. Millions of people have been infected with the virus worldwide, and it is potentially fatal among those in high risk categories (e.g., people with underlying conditions or who are immunosuppressed). It also presents a major burden to society given the widespread ‘lockdown’ measures introduced and the huge costs of hospitalizing serious cases. Social distancing is a key behavior to minimize the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 infections. Identification of potentially modifiable determinants of social distancing behavior may provide essential ...
View more >The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global public health issue. Millions of people have been infected with the virus worldwide, and it is potentially fatal among those in high risk categories (e.g., people with underlying conditions or who are immunosuppressed). It also presents a major burden to society given the widespread ‘lockdown’ measures introduced and the huge costs of hospitalizing serious cases. Social distancing is a key behavior to minimize the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 infections. Identification of potentially modifiable determinants of social distancing behavior may provide essential evidence to inform social distancing behavioral interventions. The current study applied an integrated social cognition model to identify the determinants of social distancing behavior, and the processes involved, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In a prospective correlational survey study, samples of Australian (N = 365) and US (N = 440) residents completed online self-report measures of social cognition constructs (attitude, subjective norm, moral norm, anticipated regret, perceived behavioral control), intention, action planning, habit, and past behavior with respect to social distancing behavior at an initial occasion. Follow up measures of habit and social distancing behavior were taken one week later. Structural equation models indicated that subjective norm, moral norm, and perceived behavioral control were consistent predictors of intention in both samples. Intention, action planning, and habit at follow-up were consistent predictors of social distancing behavior in both samples. Action planning did not have consistent effects mediating or moderating the intentionbehavior relationship. Inclusion of past behavior in the model attenuated effects among constructs, although effects of the determinants of intention and behavior remained. Current findings highlight the importance of subjective norm, moral obligation, and perceived behavioral control as determinants of social distancing intention, and intention and habit as behavioral determinants. The current research also highlights potential targets for social distancing interventions aimed at stemming infections in future global pandemics of infectious diseases, which have similar means of transmission. Future research on long-range predictors of social distancing behavior and reciprocal effects in the integrated model is warranted.
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View more >The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global public health issue. Millions of people have been infected with the virus worldwide, and it is potentially fatal among those in high risk categories (e.g., people with underlying conditions or who are immunosuppressed). It also presents a major burden to society given the widespread ‘lockdown’ measures introduced and the huge costs of hospitalizing serious cases. Social distancing is a key behavior to minimize the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 infections. Identification of potentially modifiable determinants of social distancing behavior may provide essential evidence to inform social distancing behavioral interventions. The current study applied an integrated social cognition model to identify the determinants of social distancing behavior, and the processes involved, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In a prospective correlational survey study, samples of Australian (N = 365) and US (N = 440) residents completed online self-report measures of social cognition constructs (attitude, subjective norm, moral norm, anticipated regret, perceived behavioral control), intention, action planning, habit, and past behavior with respect to social distancing behavior at an initial occasion. Follow up measures of habit and social distancing behavior were taken one week later. Structural equation models indicated that subjective norm, moral norm, and perceived behavioral control were consistent predictors of intention in both samples. Intention, action planning, and habit at follow-up were consistent predictors of social distancing behavior in both samples. Action planning did not have consistent effects mediating or moderating the intentionbehavior relationship. Inclusion of past behavior in the model attenuated effects among constructs, although effects of the determinants of intention and behavior remained. Current findings highlight the importance of subjective norm, moral obligation, and perceived behavioral control as determinants of social distancing intention, and intention and habit as behavioral determinants. The current research also highlights potential targets for social distancing interventions aimed at stemming infections in future global pandemics of infectious diseases, which have similar means of transmission. Future research on long-range predictors of social distancing behavior and reciprocal effects in the integrated model is warranted.
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Conference Title
Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Volume
55
Issue
Supplement_1
Subject
Biomedical and clinical sciences
Education
Psychology
Health sciences
Social Sciences
Psychology, Multidisciplinary