ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Social distancing rules have proven to be essential in reducing the spread of COVID-19. However, we can optimise these rules if we identify factors which predict compliance. Thus, in this study we investigated whether compliance with distancing rules is predicted by whether an individual is motivated by moral, self-interested, or social reasons. We also investigated the impact of an individual's utilitarian orientation both on compliance itself and on reasons for compliance. METHODS: Our sample consisted of 301 participants recruited from four US states - California, Oregon, Mississippi, and Alabama - who completed an anonymous online survey. Six vignettes describing hypothetical social distancing rules were developed for the study. Participants indicated (i) how likely they were to violate each hypothetical distancing rule, (ii) how morally wrong violating each rule would be, (iii) how much risk of contracting COVID-19 they would tolerate in order to violate each rule, and (iv) how much social condemnation they would tolerate in order to violate each rule. Based on these responses, we gauged each participant's overall degree of compliance with social distancing rules as well as the extent to which each participant's compliance is motivated by moral, self-interested, and social reasons. We also measured other variables that could affect compliance including personality, level of religiosity, and inclination to engage in utilitarian reasoning. Multiple regression and exploratory structural equation modelling were used to determine predictors of compliance with social distancing rules. RESULTS: We found that moral, self-interested, and social motivation each positively predicted compliance, with self-interested motivation being the strongest predictor. Furthermore, utilitarian orientation indirectly predicted compliance, with moral, self-interested, and social motivation as positive mediating factors. No controlled covariates (personality factors, religiosity, political orientation, or other background variables) predicted compliance. CONCLUSION: These findings have implications not only for the design of social distancing rules but also for efforts to ensure vaccine uptake. Governments need to consider how to harness moral, self-interested, and social motivation to promote compliance, perhaps by co-opting utilitarian reasoning, which positively influences these motivational forces.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , COVID-19/prevention & control , Motivation , Physical Distancing , Ethical Theory , MoralsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, sufficient distance between people is absolutely necessary, especially in waiting rooms of medical care institutions. This is frequently difficult to realize due to restricted spatial capacities. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the possibility of enabling patients to spend the waiting period outside of the waiting room of the ENT outpatient department, in order to reduce the number of patients in the waiting rooms and therefore observe distancing rules. This was realized by the use of a pager system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the timeframe of 12.5 weeks (04.06.2020-31.08.2020), ENT outpatients were issued with pagers. The patients could thus move freely within the hospital and grounds. The pager system was activated 10-15â¯min before the appointment, to call patients back to the outpatient ENT clinic. questionnaires were used to evaluate the system and examine patients' acceptance and satisfaction. RESULTS: The 137 questionnaires analyzed showed satisfaction with the system, not only regarding distancing rules but also with the more comfortable waiting time. CONCLUSION: Introduction of a pager system for patients could help to meet hygiene and distance rules, and also increase comfort during (often unavoidable) waiting times for patients in the university hospital ENT outpatient department. The long-term use of such a system seems promising.