Huddersfield Business School, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK; Department of Business and Economics, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Environ Res. 2022 Apr 1;205:112528. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112528. Epub 2021 Dec 23.
Non-compliance with social distancing (SD) measures clearly has negative effects on both public health and post-pandemic economic recovery. However, little is as yet known about people's views on and factors influencing their behavioral intentions toward SD measures. This study draws on moral disengagement theory and the norm-activation model to investigate mechanisms that promote or hinder compliance with SD measures. A longitudinal research approach was adopted to compare changes in the main factors over three periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in England (UK). The results reveal significant differences between the three periods regarding intentions to comply with SD measures, altruistic value, moral obligation and moral disengagement, with no significant change in ascription of responsibility. Residents showed the strongest intentions to comply with SD measures during the first national lockdown, with the highest moral obligation and lowest moral disengagement levels, compared with the lowest intention to comply during the first re-opening period. Altruistic value is important in promoting moral obligation and compliance with SD measures, whereas the predictive powers of ascription of responsibility and moral disengagement were weaker than expected. These findings offer guidance to policymakers and researchers in developing more effective policies and public communication strategies. The results suggest that communication is key to normalizing SD compliance, which can be achieved most effectively by fostering residents' altruistic value and moral considerations. Particular attention must be paid to re-opening periods between lockdowns, with clear messages to remind residents of prosocial aspects of SD compliance and public health. In addition to appropriate communication and education, technologies such as apps, QR codes and contactless shopping settings may also be used to facilitate compliance with SD measures.
不遵守社交距离（SD）措施显然对公共卫生和大流行后经济复苏都有负面影响。然而，目前人们对 SD 措施的看法以及影响其行为意向的因素知之甚少。本研究借鉴道德脱离理论和规范激活模型，探讨了促进或阻碍遵守 SD 措施的机制。采用纵向研究方法，比较了英格兰（英国） COVID-19 大流行三个时期的主要因素变化。结果表明，在遵守 SD 措施的意图、利他主义价值观、道德义务和道德脱离方面，三个时期存在显著差异，而责任归因没有显著变化。与第一次重新开放期间最低的遵守 SD 措施的意图相比，居民在第一次全国封锁期间表现出最强的遵守 SD 措施的意图，道德义务水平最高，道德脱离水平最低。利他主义价值观对促进道德义务和遵守 SD 措施很重要，而责任归因和道德脱离的预测能力比预期的要弱。这些发现为政策制定者和研究人员制定更有效的政策和公共传播策略提供了指导。研究结果表明，沟通是规范 SD 遵守的关键，可以通过培养居民的利他主义价值观和道德考量来最有效地实现。必须特别注意封锁之间的重新开放期，通过提醒居民遵守 SD 合规的亲社会方面和公共卫生，发出明确的信息。除了适当的沟通和教育外，还可以使用应用程序、QR 码和非接触式购物设置等技术来促进遵守 SD 措施。
