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. 2021 Dec 3;7(12):e08535.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08535. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Rapid discovery of optimal messages for behavioral intervention: the case of Hungary and Covid-19

Gillie Gabay  1 , Attila Gere  2 , Orsolya Fehér  3 , Nick Bellissimo  4 , Howard Moskowitz  5
Affiliations

Rapid discovery of optimal messages for behavioral intervention: the case of Hungary and Covid-19

Gillie Gabay et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

The right messaging plays an important role in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. The present study aims at uncovering the way people think about governmental measures against COVID-19. Two hundred and sixteen Hungarians participated in this on-line study. A conjoint-based experimental design was used to reveal the power of messages as drivers of voluntary social distancing based on the perceived risk of COVID-19, the ways to practice social distancing and to assure it, and preferences regarding the communicator of the social distancing policy. Results revealed three major mindsets: Pandemic observers, Order-followers, and Health-conscious. Members of each mindset respond differently to messages. To enhance compliance with social distancing and contain the virus, we suggest using the prediction tool we developed to identify the belonging of people or groups in the population to mindsets in the sample and address people using effective mindset-tailored messaging.

Keywords: COVID-19; Communication; Conjoint; Mindset-segmentation; Regression.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of a vignette and the rating scale.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Personal viewpoint identifier.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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