A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

The Psychological Science Accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data

The Psychological Science Accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e. a controlling message) compared to no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly-internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared to the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly-internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing: Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Significance Communicating in ways that motivate engagement in social distancing remains a critical global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study tested motivational qualities of messages about social distancing (those that promoted choice and agency vs. those that were forceful and shaming) in 25,718 people in 89 countries. The autonomy-supportive message decreased feelings of defying social distancing recommendations relative to the controlling message, and the controlling message increased controlled motivation, a less effective form of motivation, relative to no message. Message type did not impact intentions to socially distance, but people’s existing motivations were related to intentions. Findings were generalizable across a geographically diverse sample and may inform public health communication strategies in this and future global health emergencies. Abstract Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world

Effect of chloride ions on the efficiency of enhanced biological phosphorus removal from wastewater

Analizę oddziaływania jonów chlorkowych na efektywność procesu wzmożonego biologicznego usuwania fosforu ze ścieków (EBPR - Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal) przeprowadzono w laboratoryjnym układzie bioreaktorów sekwencyjnych (SBR), pracujących w cyklu beztlenowo-tlenowym, dla dwóch różnych soli, tj. chlorku sodu i chlorku potasu, w zakresie zawartości chlorków od 200 gCl-/m3 do 5000 gCl-/m3. Warunki prowadzenia badań pozwoliły na całkowitą inhibicję procesu nitryfikacji, a tym samym na wyeliminowanie możliwości negatywnego oddziaływania azotanów na proces EBPR. Wykazano zasadniczo niewielki wpływ chlorków na efektywność defosfatacji ścieków w zakresie najniższych analizowanych stężeń, tj. 200 gCl-/m3 i 500 gCl-/m3. W tych warunkach osiągnięto stosunkowo wysoką skuteczność usuwania związków fosforu (79,8÷98,6%), co odpowiadało względnie niskiej zawartości fosforu w ściekach oczyszczonych (0,7÷10,0 gP/m3). Odnotowywano przy tym bardzo wysoki poziom akumulacji fosforu w osadzie, tj. około 19% (w przeliczeniu na suchą masę organiczną). Dla wyższej zawartości chlorków zaobserwowano inhibicję procesu EBPR. Zawartość związków fosforu w ściekach oczyszczonych wzrosła do 30,5 gP/m3 i 44,0 gP/m3, odpowiednio dla NaCl i KCl, w wypadku najwyższej analizowanej zawartości chlorków 5000 gCl-/m3. Tym samym efektywność usuwania fosforu spadła do 36,0% dla NaCl i 11,1% dla KCl. Wyniki te potwierdził zaobserwowany spadek akumulacji fosforu w osadzie, odpowiednio do 7,9% i 1,7%. Wyniki te zwróciły także uwagę na istotne znaczenie różnic oddziaływania kationów sodu i potasu na efektywność wzmożonego biologicznego usuwania fosforu ze ścieków.The effect of chloride ions on the process of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) from wastewater was examined in an anaerobic-aerobic laboratory setup of sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) for two different salts: NaCl and KCl, in the chloride concentration range from about 200 to 5000 gCl-/m3. Under such experimental conditions, it was possible to achieve full inhibition of the nitrification process and thus eliminate the adverse influence of nitrate on the EBPR. The experimental results generally showed no significant effect of chlorides on the EBPR process at low concentrations (200 and 500 gCl-/m3). The efficiency of phosphate removal was then comparatively high (79.8 to 98.6%), which corresponded with the relatively low phosphorus concentrations in the treated wastewater (0.7 to 10.0 gP/m3). Phosphate accumulation in the sludge was very high (about 19% VSS). At higher chloride concentration the EBPR was found to be inhibited. Phosphate concentrations in the treated wastewater increased to 30.5 and 44.0 gP/m3 for NaCl and KCl salts, respectively, when the concentration of chlorides approached 5000 gCl-/m3. At the same tome, the efficiency of the EBPR dropped to 36.0% and 11.1% with NaCl and KCl, respectively, and phosphorus content in the sludge decreased to 7.9% and 1.7% VSS, respectively. The experiments revealed notable differences between the influence of potassium ions and that of sodium ions on the efficiency of the EBPR process

The influence of the type of filter material on change of the value of selected indicators of groundwater quality

The effect of filter media on groundwater quality changes was studied for 6 months. The test system was continuously supplied with groundwater from well, at a constant speed from top to bottom and filter deposits were open to provide contact with air. Filter beds during the study period were not washed. The subject of the study were three beds (Z1, Z2 and Z3) with different filter materials: Z1, Z3 were filled only with an alkaline material, which provided to reduction the corrosivity of water, Z2 – outside alkalising materials also included sand, thus increasing removal efficiency of iron and phosphate ions. Analysis of water physico-chemical parameters include pH, temperature, total alkalinity, intensity of colour, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and the content of: iron, iron (II) and (III), aggressive carbon dioxide, inorganic nitrogen forms (Ninorg), ie NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, phosphate and total organic carbon. Bacteriological analysis of water samples was based on the total number of psychrophilic bacteria, having an optimum temperature for growth about 22ºC, and mesophilic (37ºC). All analyses were made in accordance with current standards. Groundwater was characterized by high volatility of most of the analyzed indicators of water quality. Due to the low flow velocity of water through the filtration beds and presence of dissolved oxygen in water, there was conditions for microbial growth in the deposits. There were a growth conditions for biofilm development on the surface of filter media. Excess filter media was periodically flushed out by flowing water regardless of the type of material which is contacted with water. Confirmation of the biofilm development on the surface of mineral grains was also indirectly by the increase in the number of bacteria in the filtrate, compared to the number of bacteria in the groundwater. Biological activity of the bacteria on the deposits surface was confirmed by changes in concentration of inorganic forms of nitrogen. All three beds have provided a reduction in inorganic nitrogen, which was assimilated by the microorganisms. Microorganisms on the surface of deposits reduced ammonia nitrogen in the filtrates by nitrification process. In addition, NH4+ particles may be adsorbed on the surface of particulate matter present in the water and retained in the bed. During this research there were no significant differences depending on the type of deposit, in efficiency of removal of inorganic nitrogen

In COVID-19 Health Messaging, Loss Framing Increases Anxiety with Little-to-No Concomitant Benefits: Experimental Evidence from 84 Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftermath) highlights a critical need to communicate health information effectively to the global public. Given that subtle differences in information framing can have meaningful effects on behavior, behavioral science research highlights a pressing question: Is it more effective to frame COVID-19 health messages in terms of potential losses (e.g., “If you do not practice these steps, you can endanger yourself and others”) or potential gains (e.g., “If you practice these steps, you can protect yourself and others”)? Collecting data in 48 languages from 15,929 participants in 84 countries, we experimentally tested the effects of message framing on COVID-19-related judgments, intentions, and feelings. Loss- (vs. gain-) framed messages increased self-reported anxiety among participants cross-nationally with little-to-no impact on policy attitudes, behavioral intentions, or information seeking relevant to pandemic risks. These results were consistent across 84 countries, three variations of the message framing wording, and 560 data processing and analytic choices. Thus, results provide an empirical answer to a global communication question and highlight the emotional toll of loss-framed messages. Critically, this work demonstrates the importance of considering unintended affective consequences when evaluating nudge-style interventions