How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19? The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19? The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals. / Favero, Nathan; Pedersen, Mogens Jin.

In: Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2020.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Favero, N & Pedersen, MJ 2020, 'How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19? The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals', Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, vol. 3, no. 2. https://doi.org/10.30636/jbpa.32.167

APA

Favero, N., & Pedersen, M. J. (2020). How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19? The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals. Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.30636/jbpa.32.167

Vancouver

Favero N, Pedersen MJ. How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19? The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals. Journal of Behavioral Public Administration. 2020;3(2). https://doi.org/10.30636/jbpa.32.167

Author

Favero, Nathan ; Pedersen, Mogens Jin. / How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19? The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals. In: Journal of Behavioral Public Administration. 2020 ; Vol. 3, No. 2.

Bibtex

@article{9449b8a8beb14dc9b546c5c365b04ec5,
title = "How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19?: The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals",
abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic is a major challenge facing societies around the world. Citizen engagement in “social distancing” is a key containment measure for curtailing the spread of the virus. But what kind of information should governments use for encouraging social distancing compliance? Using data from a pre-registered survey experiment among US residents (n = 1,502), we examine how five distinct COVID-19 information cues—which each appeal to prosocial motivation and empathy in varying degree—affect people{\textquoteright}s willingness to social distance. We find no significant differences across experimental conditions in terms of (a) the duration that respondents are willing to maintain social distancing, (b) intended social distancing behavior, or (c) COVID-19-related attitudes and beliefs. Our findings should not necessarily discourage decision-makers from priming prosocial motivation and empathy as means for promoting social distancing, but they do suggest a current need for more engaging medium than simple textual messages for such appeals.",
keywords = "Faculty of Social Sciences, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Social distancing, Survey experiment",
author = "Nathan Favero and Pedersen, {Mogens Jin}",
year = "2020",
doi = "10.30636/jbpa.32.167",
language = "English",
volume = "3",
journal = "Journal of Behavioral Public Administration",
issn = "2576-6465",
publisher = "Rutgers University",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - How to Encourage “Togetherness by Keeping Apart” amid COVID-19?

T2 - The Ineffectiveness of Prosocial and Empathy Appeals

AU - Favero, Nathan

AU - Pedersen, Mogens Jin

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic is a major challenge facing societies around the world. Citizen engagement in “social distancing” is a key containment measure for curtailing the spread of the virus. But what kind of information should governments use for encouraging social distancing compliance? Using data from a pre-registered survey experiment among US residents (n = 1,502), we examine how five distinct COVID-19 information cues—which each appeal to prosocial motivation and empathy in varying degree—affect people’s willingness to social distance. We find no significant differences across experimental conditions in terms of (a) the duration that respondents are willing to maintain social distancing, (b) intended social distancing behavior, or (c) COVID-19-related attitudes and beliefs. Our findings should not necessarily discourage decision-makers from priming prosocial motivation and empathy as means for promoting social distancing, but they do suggest a current need for more engaging medium than simple textual messages for such appeals.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic is a major challenge facing societies around the world. Citizen engagement in “social distancing” is a key containment measure for curtailing the spread of the virus. But what kind of information should governments use for encouraging social distancing compliance? Using data from a pre-registered survey experiment among US residents (n = 1,502), we examine how five distinct COVID-19 information cues—which each appeal to prosocial motivation and empathy in varying degree—affect people’s willingness to social distance. We find no significant differences across experimental conditions in terms of (a) the duration that respondents are willing to maintain social distancing, (b) intended social distancing behavior, or (c) COVID-19-related attitudes and beliefs. Our findings should not necessarily discourage decision-makers from priming prosocial motivation and empathy as means for promoting social distancing, but they do suggest a current need for more engaging medium than simple textual messages for such appeals.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Coronavirus

KW - COVID-19

KW - Social distancing

KW - Survey experiment

U2 - 10.30636/jbpa.32.167

DO - 10.30636/jbpa.32.167

M3 - Journal article

VL - 3

JO - Journal of Behavioral Public Administration

JF - Journal of Behavioral Public Administration

SN - 2576-6465

IS - 2

ER -

ID: 245416024