In a new report from National Academies Press, a panel of experts in social, behavioral and economic sciences discusses five ways to help people develop and sustain new habits that are needed now to fight the spread of coronavirus.
- Make the behavior easy to start and repeat
- Make the behavior rewarding to repeat
- Tie the behavior to an existing habit
- Alert people to behaviors that conflict with existing habits and provide alternative behaviors
- Provide specific descriptions of desired behaviors
These strategies emphasize positive action, avoid using fear to motivate and apply to all public health efforts, including COVID-19.
The report offers examples for applying the behavioral principles to COVID-19 safety directives, such as positioning handwashing or sanitizing stations for easy access as people enter and exit medical office buildings. Sports logos or attractive fabrics encourage the use of face masks. A message such as “Always wash your hands after putting down keys on re-entering your house or apartment” ties a new behavior to an existing habit. And the panel points out that most people find an explicit message, such as “maintain at least 6 feet of separation from others,” easier to follow than a vague recommendation to “socially distance,” something to consider when creating signage for your office or facility.
Warning that negative messaging may be counterproductive, the panel also offers guidance for communicating effectively about behavior change. For example, disseminating photos and videos of crowded bars and beaches may normalize risky behavior, creating the impression that it is more common than it actually is. And, while it may seem counterintuitive, experts warn that efforts to counteract or debunk misinformation may “have the unintended effect of reinforcing false beliefs.”