Read on Twitter
The methods used to educate a public to do the right thing in a pandemic are called "Fear appeals". Besides Personal Responsibility these communications must also appeal to the populations sense of certainty, immediacy, and relevancy.
Alberta's challenge? Disinformation.
1/x
Alberta's challenge? Disinformation.
1/x
I think we've all interacted with Twitter accounts that call into question these aspects with dis/mis-information:
certainty: Nah! I never get sick.
immediacy: It's been months, so what?
relevancy: I'm young & it's the flu.
2/x
certainty: Nah! I never get sick.
immediacy: It's been months, so what?
relevancy: I'm young & it's the flu.
2/x
So by not specifically addressing these points we leave the door open for others to fill in those blanks with whatever BS or misreading of the available data they'd like.
Attempts to counter those narratives seem to not be getting through to certain audiences.
3/x
Attempts to counter those narratives seem to not be getting through to certain audiences.
3/x
And a personality who needs to present a fearless, tough exterior is also the kind of person that doesn't want to appear to be heeding any kind of 'fear appeal'. They're fearless, right?
4/x
4/x
Conversely, those who do have high estimations of their self-efficacy (and IMO, self-centeredness) may have clouded perceptions of risks of certainty, immediacy, and relevancy.
5/x
5/x
So this is essentially why (IMO) it's been tough to just drop a chart of data and say: Wear a mask.
There is no connection between the data and the mask, because it's an emotional decision, not a rational one.
6/x
There is no connection between the data and the mask, because it's an emotional decision, not a rational one.
6/x
Their 'data' is often just an out-of-context interpretation of the same data we all see. I'm not sure how to bust through that, but I know appeals directly to their first-order fears won't work, and appeals to second-order behaviours (what they can do to mitigate) fail.
7/x
7/x
Last, I suspect the answer is going to come from some tangential area of work; perhaps cult-deprogramming or political psy-ops.
But if they are on the fence, then appeal to certainty, immediacy, and relevance.
8/x
But if they are on the fence, then appeal to certainty, immediacy, and relevance.
8/x
Certainty: You may not get it today, but keep doing things as you are - and you will get it. Do they not wear condoms or seat belts?
9/x
9/x
Immediacy: This isn't a lightning strike - but it's not far off. Stories of young (<30) people being sick on Friday and dead by Sunday have already made the news. There is no 'time to prepare' or 'I always thought there would be time to say...'
Perhaps make a Will now.
10/x
Perhaps make a Will now.
10/x
Relevance. This is the tough one. They certainly don't *think* they are at risk, and even then a runny nose is all they think it is.
We aren't talking about long-haulers enough.
And 'But what about your grandmother' or 'Don't kill my parents' seem to go right past them.
11/x
We aren't talking about long-haulers enough.
And 'But what about your grandmother' or 'Don't kill my parents' seem to go right past them.
11/x
Last: I don't have solutions, but the frustration level is high now that we know that advice from Dr. Hinshaw hasn't always made it un-muddied into policy and practice.
A lot of this info is from reading about Vested Interest & Disaster Communications, if you're bored.
/end
A lot of this info is from reading about Vested Interest & Disaster Communications, if you're bored.
/end
