Field testing the transferability of behavioural science knowledge on promoting vaccinations

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Public Health Interventions
• Health Communication

Background:

• Behavioral science is increasingly used in organizations, necessitating evaluation of its findings' robustness and transferability.
• Assessing the effectiveness of behavioral interventions in real-world settings is crucial for policy and practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the transferability of behavioral science insights from various sources to field settings.
• To test text-based interventions for increasing COVID-19 booster uptake in a large-scale field experiment.

Main Methods:

• Conducted three pre-registered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with over 314,000 participants.
• Field-tested interventions based on prior successful vaccination campaigns, studies on vaccination intentions, and expert/public preferences.
• Focused on the critical policy domain of COVID-19 booster uptake.

Main Results:

• Reminders and psychological ownership language significantly increased COVID-19 booster uptake, confirming prior findings.
• Strategies predicted to be effective, such as bundling vaccines or addressing misconceptions, showed no significant benefit over simple reminders.
• Intervention effectiveness varied, with some strategies failing to transfer to the field setting.

Conclusions:

• Empirical findings in behavioral science require validation in real-world field settings.
• The transferability of interventions designed to increase health behaviors, like vaccination, is not guaranteed.
• Future research should prioritize testing interventions in diverse field contexts to ensure generalizability and impact.