University of Twente Student Theses
The role of cognitive appraisals and past protective behavior in future protection motivation : applying protection motivation theory to the COVID-19 pandemic
Schmees, Rieke (2020) The role of cognitive appraisals and past protective behavior in future protection motivation : applying protection motivation theory to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| Abstract: | Past research found evidence for the role of risk perceptions and coping appraisals in people’s motivation to engage in protective behaviors during crises. The current study aims to investigate people’s threat and coping appraisals, based on Past Protection Motivation Theory, and examine the impact of past protective behavior on people’s future protection motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic. A German sample (n = 275) completed a self-constructed online questionnaire on their risk perceptions, coping appraisals, their past protective behaviors and their future intentions to engage in protective behaviors during the pandemic. The relationships between threat and coping appraisals with people’s intention to engage in future protective behavior, and the moderation effects of past protective behavior were assessed with correlation and multiple regression analyses. All of the threat and coping appraisal variables were significantly related to people’s intention to engage in protective behavior. When assessing the impact of each appraisal process on protection motivation, only perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response costs and response efficacy were found to be predictive for intention. Past protective behavior was found to strongly predict people’s future protection motivation. A moderation effect of past protective behavior was only found between self-efficacy and people’s intention to engage in protective behavior. Past protective behavior did not moderate the relationship between all other threat/coping appraisal variables and people’s future protection motivation. Future research could conduct longitudinal studies to more accurately investigate the interplay between cognitive appraisals and behavior, with internal (e.g. habits) and more external factors (e.g. social media). |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/85449 |
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