COVID-19 health Messaging: How Message Frame and Individual Differences in Collectivism and Perceived Risk Influence Intention for Mask Wearing and Vaccination.

This study examines how message frame and individual differences in collectivism and perceived risk influence intention to engage in precautionary measures for COVID-19. We investigate the relationships with two types of preventive measures that differ in features relevant to the message frame hypothesis like uncertainty or perceived risk about outcome of the health behaviors: vaccination and mask-wearing. We conducted two separate online experiments for each preventive behavior, respectively. The results reveal that individuals with a moderate collectivist orientation had a higher intention to wear a face mask than those with a very low collectivist orientation when exposed to the gain-framed message, but there was no difference in the loss-framed message. The results were only significant among people with low perceived risk of COVID-19. No such effects are found for vaccination intention.