Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2022
Abstract
To reduce transmission of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19), the US Center for Disease Control recommends that all individuals follow a series of prevention guidelines (e.g., wearing a mask, physical distancing, and vigilant handwashing). However, some individuals have been unwilling to comply with them. In this research, we use reciprocal altruism theory to investigate the role of loneliness in compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Specifically, we find that lonely (vs. non-lonely) consumers report less willingness to comply with these guidelines. Process evidence demonstrates that this occurs because lonely individuals experience a lower sense of obligation to reciprocate. Importantly, the negative impact of loneliness on compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines can be offset through advertising messaging strategies when information about COVID-19 is framed using an agentic (vs. communal) advertising messaging. Thus, marketers may want to consider the important role of loneliness when tailoring messaging appeals that encourage compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines.
Recommended Citation
Schultz, Ainslie E. and Newman, Kevin P., "The Lonely Reason Impeding Compliance with COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines" (2022). Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022. 62.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/amtp-proceedings_2022/62
