Perceptions of COVID-19-related nudges in the Arab world: A cross-country analysis of approval rates and associated factors.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated novel approaches to influence public behavior. While "nudging" has gained prominence in Western contexts, its perception and effectiveness in the Arab world remain understudied. This study aimed to investigate the approval of COVID-19-related nudges across four Arab countries and explore associated sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to January 2022, involving 698 participants from Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Participants were presented with eight hypothetical COVID-19-related nudges categorized according to distinct behavioral mechanisms: choice architecture (e.g., floor markers, prominent placement of fruits and vegetables), information disclosure (publicly sharing infection causes), moral appeals (letters from elderly urging compliance), social norm enforcement (public shaming of violators and use of spoilers on billboards), and surveillance-based interventions (GPS tracking of quarantined individuals). Approval rates varied widely (50%-95%). Less intrusive nudges received the highest support: supermarket floor markers (95.4%), prominent display of fruits and vegetables (88.8%), park area divisions (82.0%), infection cause disclosure (86.5%), and elderly letters urging compliance (84.1%). Approval was lower for more intrusive measures, including billboard spoilers (52.0%) and public shaming of curfew violators (49.9%). GPS tracking, the most intrusive intervention, received intermediate approval (72.8%). Higher COVID-19 concern was significantly associated with greater approval of nudges (p < 0.001), with age, gender, and family COVID-19 status also influencing approval rates. These findings demonstrate generally positive attitudes towards COVID-19-related nudges among university affiliates in four Arab countries, with clear variations according to nudge type, intrusiveness, and sociodemographic characteristics. While the results offer valuable insights for culturally tailored behavioral interventions in the Arab world, they reflect a university setting and may not be generalizable to the broader public.