Following Health Measures in the Pandemic: A Matter of Values?

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Health Behavior Theory
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• Understanding motivational factors influencing health behaviors is crucial for public health interventions.
• The interplay between personal values and utility-based incentives in shaping health decisions requires further investigation.
• Existing research often focuses on perceived efficacy and self-interest, with less emphasis on value-behavior consistency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if value consistency predicts intended health behaviors related to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).
• To examine whether value consistency overrides other utility-based motivational factors.
• To explore the implications of value-based appeals for public health compliance.

Main Methods:

• Three studies (N = 887) employed correlational and experimental designs.
• Participants' perceptions of value consistency, self-interest inconsistency, and efficacy of health behaviors were assessed.
• Intentions for social distancing and vaccination, policy support, and devaluation of transgressors were measured.

Main Results:

• Higher value consistency positively predicted social distancing intentions and policy support.
• Value consistency moderated the influence of self-interest and perceived efficacy on intentions.
• Experimental manipulation of value consistency showed mixed results, but correlational findings were consistent across studies.

Conclusions:

• Value consistency is a significant predictor of intended health behaviors, sometimes overriding utility-based factors.
• Appealing to values can be effective but may have ambivalent effects on compliance.
• Findings contribute to understanding the complex relationship between values, utility, and motivation in health contexts.