Making it stick: Exploring the effects of information and behavioral training on self-protectiveness of citizens in a real-life safety setting

Abstract

A B S T R A C TThis study contributes to our knowledge of whether and why citizens engage in self-protective behavior with regard to a real-life risk (the transportation of chemical substances by train). We assume that the way in which relevant risk information is processed, actively vs. passively, is a crucial factor. We hypothesize that behavioral training on self-protectiveness (the active approach) will increase respondents' perceived feasibility (self-efficacy) and the expected usefulness (response-efficacy) of risk-mitigating options to a larger extent than the passive approach (merely read about it). We subsequently propose that behaviorally trained participants will show more self-protectiveness than merely informed participants. Both groups are also compared to an uninformed control group.First, a behavioral-training-effectiveness-study was conducted in order to explore whether the training developed led to an increase in participants' efficacy beliefs and self-protectiveness (N = 47). Second, in our main study we took a random sample from the town's population (N = 614) and tested if the instructional method (behavioral training vs. information only vs. no information) is a predictor of efficacy beliefs and self-protectiveness.As expected, the instructional method used and the level of perceived response-efficacy positively influence self-protectiveness. Behaviorally trained respondents perceived risk mitigating options as more useful and showed more self-protectiveness than merely informed and uninformed participants. Furthermore, responseefficacy turned out to be a partial mediator between instructional method and self-protectiveness. Self-efficacy did not significantly predict self-protectiveness in this study.This study demonstrates that using appropriate risk communication tools is crucial in order to increase selfprotective behavior of citizens.

The effect of risk communication on preventive and protective Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak: mediating role of risk perception

“…Risk communication need to be concentrated mainly on communication of risk-mitigation alternatives considered as useful by the target audience [ 26 ], identifying group-specific demands would be beneficial to render proper information to meet each population group’s needs [ 58 ]. Thus, the mutual relationship between risk communication and the status of risk perceived by community members is of great importance.…”

“…Many studies have focused on the associations of RC and RP [12,17]; however, there are reports on RC influence over RP in recent research [13,24,25] . It is recommended that RP is a prerequisite for protective behaviors [12,[26][27][28]. A review of the literature reveals that there is a decrease in articles published on a oneway flow of RC as well as an increase in those concerned with two-way communications [29]; hence, RC seems to have dynamism as well as interactivity encompassing negotiations among various groups of key players and audiences [16].…”

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“…Santos et al [46] and Stolzer et al [47]; • self-reported behaviour used as measures of behaviour, such as individuals describing their own safety conduct, e.g. Kievik et al [48];…”

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“…According to Konijn et al (2018), active training is associated with a stronger effect on the mind than passive teaching methods. Later on in the real world trained citizens are more likely to behave safely and self-defense than just Informed (Kievik et al, 2018).…”