Lafreniere, K.

Mcdermott, M.

English

UEL Research Repository at University of East London

COVID health behaviour non-compliance as playful oppositionalism and implications for public health strategy Paper presented to the National Institute for Health Research MindTech2020 National Online Symposium:  Digital Mental Health in the Age of COVID, 2nd - 3rd December 2020.  https://www.institutemh.org.uk/events/event/129-mindtech2020-digital-mental-health-in-the-age-of-covid-19 Authors: Professor Mark McDermott, University of East London, Department of Psychological Sciences, UK https://www.uel.ac.uk/staff/m/mark-mcdermott & Dr. Kathryn Lafreniere, University of Windsor, Department of Psychology, Canada https://www.uwindsor.ca/psychology/364/kathryn-l     What we did:     We conducted an online survey (via the Qualtrics platform) of N=666 respondents from one province, Ontario, in Canada. Self-report data addressed Hochbaum, Rosenstock, & Kegel’s (1952) Health Belief Model variables, rebelliousness (as after McDermott, 1987; Klabbers et al 2009), demographics, and compliance with covid public health behaviours.      What we found:     We found that it is not the disaffected form of rebelliousness that predicts non-compliance with mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing, as might be predicted by psychological reactance theory (Brehm & Brehm, 1981). Rather, it was found that it is the `proactive’, excitement-seeking, breaking-rules-in-the-moment-for-`fun’ type of rebelliousness that emerged in statistical regression analysis as an independent predictor (along notably with `conservative’, rather than liberal, political orientation).      What we concluded:    Thereby it appears people break covid rules not because they are `fed-up’ with them (a popular media narrative) but because breaking a CV19 rule in the moment provides a mini-thrill, an attention-seeking `look at me, aren’t I naughty/a rebel’ sensation. Thus, non-compliance in this setting has more to do with social identity (Tajfel & Turner, 1986) as a `non-conformist’ than it does with being truly disaffected with the imposed health behaviour requirements.        What we recommend:     Health messaging must nudge (as after Thaler & Sunstein, 2008) people toward complying with the rules.  A significant segment of the general public who proactively rebel against covid rules (circa 10%) need to be persuaded to `get their kicks’ in other ways, perhaps by use of reverse psychology. A complementary tactic, for example, would be to provide playfully oppositional imagery on face masks in order to encourage non-compliant people to wear them – such masks would signal the wearer’s rebellious social identity but without putting themselves or others at risk.  Deliberate inclusion of such design options in online mask ordering websites is indicated.       Readings and references on rebelliousness:  McDermott, M.R. (1987). Rebelliousness in adolescence and young adulthood. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Cardiff: University of Wales.   McDermott, M.R. (1988a). Measuring rebelliousness: The development of the negativism dominance scale, In M.J. Apter,  J.H. Kerr, & M. Cowles, (Eds.) Progress in Reversal Theory. Amsterdam: North Holland.  McDermott, M.R. (1988b). Recognising rebelliousness : The ecological validity of the Negativism  Dominance Scale, In Apter,  M.J., Kerr, J.H. & Cowles, M. (Eds.) Progress in Reversal  Theory. Amsterdam: North Holland.  McDermott, M.R. (1989). Proactive rebelliousness as adult play, in J.H. Kerr, & M.J. Apter, (Eds.) Adult Play: A Reversal  Theory Perspective. Amsterdam: Swets & Zeitlinger.  Griffin, M. & McDermott, M.R. (1998). Exploring a tripartite relationship between rebelliousness, openness to experience & creativity, Social Behaviour & Personality, An International Journal, 26(4), 347-356.  McDermott, M. R. (2001). ‘Rebelliousness’. In M. J. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: a guide to Reversal Theory (pp. 167-185). Washington DC: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/10427-009  Klabbers, G., Bosma, H., van den Akker, M., van Boxtel, M.P.J., Kempen, G.I.J.M., McDermott, M.R., & van Eijk, J.Th.M. (2009). Measuring rebelliousness and predicting health behaviour and outcomes: an investigation of the construct validity of the Social Reactivity Scale. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(6), 771–779. doi:10.1177/1359105309338894  Boddington, E.L., & McDermott, M.R. (2013). Predicting resistance to health education messages for cannabis use: the role of rebelliousness, autic mastery, health value and ethnicity. Journal of Health Psychology, 18(2), 157–166. doi:10.1177/1359105312438111  McDermott, M.R., & Barik, N.B. (2014). Developmental antecedents of proactive and reactive rebelliousness: the role of parenting style, childhood adversity, and attachment. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 2(1), 22–31. doi:10.12689/jmep.2014.203 

COVID Health Behaviour Non-compliance as Playful Oppositionalism and Implications for Public Health Strategy

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COVID Health Behaviour Non-compliance as Playful Oppositionalism and Implications for Public Health Strategy

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