Pandemic is a complex problem with simple solutions — wearing a mask, maintaining social distance and getting vaccinated. The reality, however, is that people are not following norms, writes Gauri Chaudhari

“Why are these Covidiots not listening? When will these educated illiterates start wearing masks?” My doctor friend was angry. Whenever she saw people crowding, she shouted at them, warned them, requested them, but all fell on deaf ears. To her surprise, many in the crowds are often educated individuals who chose either not to wear a mask or wear it around their chin.

Most complex problems have simple solutions. Pandemic is a complex problem, yet it has simple solutions — wearing a mask, maintaining social distance and getting vaccinated. While the world is worrying about the mutants, the reality is masks and distancing work against all the mutants. Yet, the fact is people are not listening.

The question is: why? Why do they choose not to wear a mask? Why do they gather for weddings? Why do they celebrate festivals with families and friends?

When asked this question to individuals, one gets a variety of answers. Some of the common responses are: ‘Covid is media made’, ‘I have strong Immunity’, ‘We can’t be scared; whatever has to happen will happen.’ Some reasons for not wearing masks are bizarre. “My nose is such that no mask can fit my face.” or “I look ugly in masks.”

Some people have genuine problems with masks, particularly those with certain health conditions. They feel breathless with masks. Medical science provides the solution to this issue. It emphasises practicing wearing a mask at home, avoiding certain time of the day to go out and several other tips and tricks.

Digging deeper into people’s psyche, one may unearth several psychological reasons for not following Covid compliant behaviour. Unless these reasons are addressed, there is no chance of carrying out behavioral modification in people.

Having worked on Anti-AIDS, anti-smoking, and a wide variety of health campaigns for chronic diseases, I can say for sure people don’t change behaviours just because they are told to do so.

Health-related behaviour modification is an ‘Art’ based on science. If the authorities want to modify people’s health-related behaviour, they need to understand the science and take the help of experts who know this art.

So, what are these psychological reasons, and how can we address them?

Mask and Masculinity

Masks are victims of cultural dogmas. Men are expected to be tough, particularly under the conditions of threat.

Cambridge University Press has published an article clearly showing the inverse relationship between mask and sense of masculinity. The authors highlight that masculinity and toughness are connected to the negative reaction to wearing masks.

This explains why many leaders, irrespective of their political parties, avoid masks. What is true for political leaders is true for neighborhood uncles who want to be seen tough. Even women who have to portray tough images avoid wearing masks.

Another segment of influencers that have fallen into the trap of toughness is the spiritual and lifestyle gurus. These gurus suggest exercises and diets to build tough immunity. They are often seen without masks. Some have gone on record to say vaccines are for vulnerable people having weak immunity. No wonder masks are linked to weakness of every sort. If this is the case, what is the way out?

Need for Influencing the influencers

Leaders, too, are victims of cultural biases. There is a strong need to educate, convince and persuade them to play a bigger role. They need to be educated and told that even if they are tough and can fight infection (though this might not be the truth), they do a disservice to humanity by providing their bodies for the virus to mutate and become more dangerous.

If the influencers stop negatively correlating masks and masculinity, half the battle is won. When we see ‘tough’ political leaders, spiritual gurus, journalists, Bollywood heroes appear in media with their masks, we will believe that wearing a mask is not a sign of cowardice. There is no harm in wearing masks even if they are alone in TV studios; they will send a strong message; after all, no one is lip-reading them.

The social media micro-influencers too have huge impact on the younger population. Studies after studies have proven that youngsters are health indifferent and are reluctant to follow healthy behavior. Unfortunately, today, they are responsible for the super-spread of the virus. The micro-influencers can make Covid compliance look cool. For that, they must be seen wearing masks in every video they make or every picture they post.

Is it enough? Will the masses start becoming Covid compliant looking at the leaders?

There are a few more factors that need to be considered while we try to impact social behaviors.

Fear of Fear

No one likes to be in a state of fear. When we are approached by danger, the body develops a fight or flight response. But what happens when we can neither fight with this unseen enemy nor run away from it? We freeze. And no one likes that state.

Kim Wittle, a communication scholar, put forward an extended parallel process model (EPPM) that predicts how individuals react to danger. The human mind likes to be in a state of equilibrium. When confronted with a significant perceived threat, the human mind loses its inherent state of equilibrium. At this time, there is an intense urge to go back to equilibrium, which can be achieved by controlling the threat or controlling the fearful mind.

For example, if a farmer knows that the field is infested with snakes, he adequately covers his feet and ankles where the maximum bites happen. This is his way of controlling threats. But what would he do if he does not have shoes or enough coverage to protect his feet? He decides to control the fearful mind. He convinces himself by denying the existence of the snakes in the field or makes himself believe that his good karmas will protect his naked feet.

In this pandemic, we see people around us using either the fear control approach or danger control. Those who are controlling fear are quick to deny the severity of the virus. Some deny the existence of the virus. This is their way of gaining the state of equilibrium. They insist that media created Covid for the TRPs and benefits of political parties.

Others gained equilibrium by danger control. They acknowledged the existence and severity of the problem. Unfortunately, in the cacophony, unscientific messages on social media, misleading ads on TV and press and overclaims of various brands gave them a false sense of security.

From foods to air conditioners, everyone is promising protection from Corona. “I follow immunity-enhancing diets; I am protected.”, “I take XYZ health supplement; Nothing can happen to me even in a crowd” or “Why wear masks? My family and friends meet only where ABC air conditioner is installed. This AC filters out Corona.”

Need for Control on Claims

Having spent close to three decades in the healthcare industry, I feel unsubstantiated claims do a huge disservice to society. Unless companies do scientific studies and publish them in peer-reviewed journals, they should refrain from making such claims.

There has to be a body that scrutinises health-related claims. There is a lot at stake, and a casual approach should not be allowed.

Authentic Advice

People need authentic advice. Authorities and governments must create a forum that regularly provides such advice. Besides this, mass campaigns to educate people regularly are necessary.

Health campaigns having authentic health messages need to run frequently across media. These messages need to follow the fundamental principles of health communications.

Creating health messages for behavioural modification is not an easy task. The messages that disregard the basic framework of health messages have an adverse reaction. A wrongly crafted health message has the potential to backfire and make people take actions that are contrary to the message.

Reason of Reactance

While there are several dynamics in play while people respond to a health message, reactance is an important factor to consider. Psychological reactance is often a reason for resistance to health messages.

Reactance is a state where people become upset if a message poses a risk to their freedom. Brehm, a renowned psychologist, discovered that people show extreme reactions to a health message if they feel there is a threat to freedom.

People believe that following traditions is their right. Festivals and weddings are a big part of these traditions. When someone says, ‘You must not celebrate festivals in such and such way,’ they feel their freedom is threatened. Often this happens due to the tone and manner of the message.

To restore the sense of freedom, people indulge in certain behaviors. Depending on the situation, direct or indirect ways of restoration are adopted. Direct ways are often called the boomerang effects, where an individual engages in the admonished behaviour.

So a board outside a shop or a dispensary says, “Hey Covidiot, wear your mask!” People feel offended and try to act contrary to the message. But what if the administration punishes or forces them? They rebel indirectly. The indirect ways involve connecting with people who do not believe in compliant behavior. They try to grow their tribe by convincing more and more people against the health message.

Here it is essential to understand these people do not have a problem with the message. Their issue is with its delivery.

The healthcare communication must be crafted keeping some of the cardinal rules.

• No place for Freedom-Threatening Language: Messages with ‘controlling’ or ‘Forceful’ language are instantly rejected. Orders like ‘you must,’ ‘Stop denial’ must be avoided.
• Provide choices: Messages that provide choices are accepted without resistance. When people are told to choose the list of options that best fit their lifestyle, they are more inclined to follow the instructions.
• Other-Referring messages: When messages talk about the impact of risky health behaviour on the loved ones, they are better accepted. Other referring messages do better than self-referring messages.

Last but not least is the need to be empathetic in communication. Even at the individual level, when we try to correct our fellow citizens’ behaviour, one must stop taking the moral high ground and use commanding language simply because it won’t work!

The experts are anticipating the third wave. The healthcare system is reeling under unprecedented pressure. There is an urgent need to minimise the impact and extent of the third wave. By now, we know masking, maintaining social distance, avoiding large gatherings, and vaccination are the ways to control the spread. But for this to happen, governments have to take people along. Understand both rational and emotional reasons behind non-compliance and lead by example.

Stopping third wave is possible and together we can do it.

The writer is a Pharma Marketing, Advertising, Branding professional, and author of The Perfect Pill: 10 Steps to Build a Strong Healthcare Brand, with SAGE India