Predicting Social Distancing Intention and Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrated Social Cognition Model

Martin S Hagger; Stephanie R Smith; Jacob J Keech; Susette A Moyers; Kyra Hamilton

doi:10.1093/abm/kaaa073

Predicting Social Distancing Intention and Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrated Social Cognition Model

Ann Behav Med. 2020 Oct 1;54(10):713-727. doi: 10.1093/abm/kaaa073.

Authors

Martin S Hagger^{1

2

3}, Stephanie R Smith³, Jacob J Keech^{3

4}, Susette A Moyers¹, Kyra Hamilton³

Affiliations

¹ SHARPP Lab, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA.
² Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
³ School of Applied Psychology, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Social distancing is a key behavior to minimize COVID-19 infections. Identification of potentially modifiable determinants of social distancing behavior may provide essential evidence to inform social distancing behavioral interventions.

Purpose: The current study applied an integrated social cognition model to identify the determinants of social distancing behavior, and the processes involved, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: In a prospective correlational survey study, samples of Australian (N = 365) and U.S. (N = 440) residents completed online self-report measures of social cognition constructs (attitude, subjective norm, moral norm, anticipated regret, and perceived behavioral control [PBC]), intention, action planning, habit, and past behavior with respect to social distancing behavior at an initial occasion. Follow-up measures of habit and social distancing behavior were taken 1 week later.

Results: Structural equation models indicated that subjective norm, moral norm, and PBC were consistent predictors of intention in both samples. Intention, action planning, and habit at follow-up were consistent predictors of social distancing behavior in both samples. Action planning did not have consistent effects mediating or moderating the intention-behavior relationship. Inclusion of past behavior in the model attenuated effects among constructs, although the effects of the determinants of intention and behavior remained.

Conclusions: Current findings highlight the importance of subjective norm, moral obligation, and PBC as determinants of social distancing intention and intention and habit as behavioral determinants. Future research on long-range predictors of social distancing behavior and reciprocal effects in the integrated model is warranted.

Keywords: Action planning; Dual-phase models; Dual-process models; Habit; Health behavior; Social cognition theory.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Betacoronavirus
COVID-19
Coronavirus Infections / psychology*
Humans
Intention*
Models, Psychological*
Pandemics
Pneumonia, Viral / psychology*
SARS-CoV-2
Social Isolation / psychology*