RESUMO
The COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftermath) highlights a critical need to communicate health information effectively to the global public. Given that subtle differences in information framing can have meaningful effects on behavior, behavioral science research highlights a pressing question: Is it more effective to frame COVID-19 health messages in terms of potential losses (e.g., "If you do not practice these steps, you can endanger yourself and others") or potential gains (e.g., "If you practice these steps, you can protect yourself and others")? Collecting data in 48 languages from 15,929 participants in 84 countries, we experimentally tested the effects of message framing on COVID-19-related judgments, intentions, and feelings. Loss- (vs. gain-) framed messages increased self-reported anxiety among participants cross-nationally with little-to-no impact on policy attitudes, behavioral intentions, or information seeking relevant to pandemic risks. These results were consistent across 84 countries, three variations of the message framing wording, and 560 data processing and analytic choices. Thus, results provide an empirical answer to a global communication question and highlight the emotional toll of loss-framed messages. Critically, this work demonstrates the importance of considering unintended affective consequences when evaluating nudge-style interventions.
RESUMO
Este trabalho foi um estudo de validação de duas escalas que visam verificar a relação entre a importância atribuída a questões sociais contemporâneas e o engajamento político dos jovens na sociedade. A cidadania foi definida como uma atitude heterogênea, motivada por diversos interesses que se adequam a um modelo tripartite: voto, ajudar na comunidade, e se fazer ouvir. Duzentos jovens de ambos os sexos, com idade média de 18 anos, estudantes do ensino médio de escolas públicas e privadas e de uma universidade pública responderam a três escalas objetivas: Informações Sócio-demográficas, Importância das Questões Sociais e Engajamento Social. Os resultados mostraram forte consistência interna para as escalas de importância das questões sociais (α = 0,94) e de engajamento político (α = 0,96) e uma boa adequação do modelo de três fatores da cidadania aos dados obtidos. Estudantes de escola pública mostraram um maior engajamento na sociedade do que estudantes de escolas privadas ou universitários. Em geral, os jovens mostraram maior interesse pela Ajuda na Comunidade do que por Se fazer Ouvir. O Voto recebeu a menor média de importância pelos jovens.
This study aimed at validating two scales designed to assess the relationship between the importance attached to contemporary social issues and political engagement of youth in society. Citizenship was defined as heterogeneous and motivated by various interests to suit a tripartite model: voting, helps the community and to be heard. 200 young people of both sexes with an average age of 18 years, high school students in public schools and private and a public university responded to three objective scales: Socio-demographic Information, Importance of Social Issues and Social Engagement. The results showed strong internal consistency for the scales of importance of social issues (α = 94) and political engagement (α = 96) and a good model fit of three factors of citizenship to the data obtained. Public school students showed a greater engagement in society than students from private schools or universities. In general, young people showed greater interest in the Help in the Community than by Being Heard. The Vote has received the lowest average importance by the young.
