Experts identify strategies to promote social distancing, masking

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Societal Experts Action Network, which responds to policy questions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, yesterday released guidance on strategies to encourage protective behaviors such as wearing a mask, social distancing and hand washing.

Based on research from communications, social psychology and behavioral economics as well as lessons from successful public health campaigns, the authors say strategies such as making desired behaviors easy to start and rewarding to repeat and tying them to existing habits can make it more likely that protective behaviors will become habitual. The document also identifies communication strategies to encourage adoption of new behaviors.